Warning about Liki24.pl – Pre-selected subscriptions, unwanted repeat orders, and questionable review moderation
I want to share my experience with Liki24.pl, an online platform selling healthcare products and medications across Europe.
What initially appeared to be a simple, one-time purchase turned into an unwanted recurring subscription.
1. Subscriptions are selected by default
On Liki24.pl, the option “Subscribe & Save” is automatically pre-selected on the product page.
If you want to make a normal, one-time purchase, you must manually switch to the “One-time purchase” option.
The subscription also comes with a small discount, making it appear more attractive.
In our case, this resulted in another automatic order for the same healthcare products, which we no longer needed or wanted.
We never intended to subscribe to recurring deliveries.
2. Potential violations of EU consumer protection laws
I believe this practice raises serious concerns under European consumer protection legislation, particularly:
* Directive 2005/29/EC, Articles 6 and 7, concerning misleading commercial practices and omissions.
* Directive 2011/83/EU, Articles 6 and 8, requiring clear information about contractual obligations and recurring payments.
* Polish Consumer Rights Act, Articles 12 and 17, concerning pre-contractual information and payment obligations.
Pre-selecting a recurring subscription instead of a standard purchase may constitute a dark pattern designed to influence consumer decisions.
Whether this practice is unlawful depends on how consent is obtained throughout the checkout process, but I believe it deserves regulatory scrutiny.
3. Customer reviews are moderated before publication
Another concerning discovery was the review system.
When attempting to leave a negative review, I noticed the following message:
“Your review will be published after verification by a moderator.”
The website also requires users to accept the terms of a rewards programme before submitting a review.
Moderation itself is not illegal. However, this raises questions about whether negative customer experiences are treated equally to positive reviews.
I cannot confirm that negative reviews are deliberately suppressed, but I believe the transparency of this system deserves investigation.
4. Why this is particularly concerning
We’re talking about healthcare products and medications.
People’s medical needs change. Automatically ordering the same products every month without requiring fresh confirmation can result in unnecessary purchases and financial losses.
I have no objection to companies offering optional subscriptions.
My objection is that a recurring subscription is selected by default instead of a normal, one-time purchase.
That is a significant difference.
5. What I’m doing about it
I’m requesting that Liki24:
1. Explain how and when my consent to recurring purchases was obtained.
2. Provide evidence of my agreement to the subscription.
3. Cancel the unwanted repeat order.
4. Refund the payment associated with that order.
5. Confirm that no further automatic orders or charges will occur.
I’m also considering submitting a formal complaint to UOKiK (Poland’s Office of Competition and Consumer Protection) and the European Consumer Centre.
My advice to other customers
Be extremely careful when ordering from Liki24.pl.
Check whether “Subscribe & Save” is already selected before completing your purchase.
Make sure you’re choosing a one-time purchase if you don’t want recurring deliveries.
And always check your account for active subscriptions after placing an order.
Has anyone else experienced unwanted automatic orders or subscription issues with Liki24 in Poland or elsewhere in Europe?
I’d be interested to hear whether this is an isolated incident or something other customers have experienced.
#Liki24 #ConsumerRights #DarkPatterns #Subscriptions #EUConsumerProtection