European watchdogs target Apple guarantee scheme

Consumer groups across Europe have launched a coordinated campaign against Apple Inc in a bid to change the way the electronics group informs people who buy its tablet computers and smartphones about the guarantees they are entitled to.

Purchasers' watchdogs in 11 countries said in a series of coordinated statements on Monday that Apple does not clearly tell people that they already get a guarantee on the products they buy, making people more likely to pay for an extended warrantee.

"The truncated information could have a determining role in a customers decision about whether or not to subscribe to the AppleCare protection Plan," Belgium's Test-Achats said.

Apple shares hit an all-time high last week as it launched its iPad 3 tablet.

Consumer groups in 11 countries, including the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Belgium, say they issued formal notifications to the company to get it to change how it presents the guarantees people get.

The specific guarantees are slightly different in each European country. Belgium and Italy offer people a two-year guarantee, while in the Netherlands consumers get a guarantee for the lifetime of the product.

Both Belgium and the Netherlands say they are considering court action against Apple if it does not change the information it offers.

A court in Italy fined Apple 900,000 euros ($1.2 million) in December for failing to adequately inform customers about their rights to product guarantees and assistance.

Apple would not comment.