Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty will pay $1.2 million to settle a consumer protection lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that the brand used deceptive marketing tactics to automatically enroll customers in a VIP subscription.
The Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Diego, and Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Offices, as well as the Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office, filed the lawsuit.
The lawsuit states that Savage X Fenty failed to “get the proper consent or give proper notices for the automatic renewal charges, falsely advertis[ing] the ability to use store credit, and misleading the public over the prices of its products, which include bras, underwear, sleepwear, and loungewear.”
It also says the brand “did not clearly disclose automatic charges resulting from VIP memberships.”
Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Deng addressed the settlement in a statement.
“Consumers have a right to know upfront what they are paying for and how often,” they said. “Businesses have a duty to be transparent about their automatic renewal charges.”
Of the $1.2 million, Savage X Fenty will pay $150,000 in restitution. That money will be paid to customers who did not opt to “Skip the Month” and were thus charged.
Additionally, Savage X Fenty has “made changes to its website, automatic renewal notices, and its store credit and advertising practices.”
Neither Rihanna nor Savage X Fenty has released statements addressing the settlement.
The settlement comes as Rihanna is gearing up for her highly-anticipated Super Bowl Halftime performance in 2023.
[Via]
