CONSIDERACIONES EN TORNO A LA PUBLICIDAD CONFUSIONISTA A LA LUZ DE LA LEY 29/2009, DE 30 DE DICIEMBRE, POR LA QUE SE MODIFICA EL RÉGIMEN LEGAL DE LA COMPETENCIA DESLEAL Y DE LA PUBLICIDAD PARA LA MEJORA DE LA PROTECCIÓN DE LOS CONSUMIDORES Y USUARIOS.

Abstract

Confusing advertising is a commercial practice that is used by competitors to sow in consumers a sense of confusion or risk of association with the goods or services, registered trademarks, trade names or other distinctive marks of a competitor. The practice is liable to affect consumers' and users' behaviour, leading them to make a purchase that they would not have made otherwise. In other words, it affects their economic behaviour. It is a type of advertising that is not allowed and yet frequently appears in practice. There are different channels for fighting it; one is extra-contractual liability. This commentary looks at how to identify confusing practices and what mechanisms a consumer has for fighting such practices when he has fallen victim to them.