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Fashion retailer PKZ is being criticized after a credit card campaign (archive photo).
KEYSTONE/PHOTOPRESS/David Biedert
The fashion chain PKZ sent credit cards to its customers without their prior consent. What was intended as a customer loyalty measure quickly attracted criticism.
A new credit card arrives in your letterbox - even though you never applied for one or agreed to receive it. This is exactly what is currently happening to many customers of fashion retailer PKZ, which is now being heavily criticized for this.
The company wants to replace the previous customer card with a "PKZ Insider Card Visa", as reported by the SRF consumer magazine "Espresso". An accompanying letter states that customers can now enjoy "more flexibility when paying worldwide" - a customer loyalty measure that backfired badly.
This is because many customers tend to see the risks of the campaign. One customer told Espresso: "Did they even check whether I was creditworthy?" Others criticize the fact that thousands of plastic cards were produced and sent out for the campaign.
In addition to consumers, experts are also bothered by the campaign: credit cards are particularly dangerous for people who struggle with their budget, explains Pascal Pfister from the umbrella organization of debt advice centres to SRF. "That's why it's particularly offensive that PKZ has issued these cards without an application." People are being "burdened with a risk that they did not agree to".
One of the main arguments: if retailers start sending out cards en masse, the debt risk could add up massively.
However, according to SRF, the Consumer Credit Act only applies to cards with which installment payments are possible. As this is not the case with the standard version of the PKZ Visa card, the fashion house believes it is legally on the safe side.
Meanwhile, the company is defending the campaign: The card has low spending limits, says PKZ, a maximum of 1000 francs per month and 5000 francs per year. Cash withdrawals or installment payments are not possible. This "minimizes the classic risk of over-indebtedness", the fashion house told the SRF magazine.
In addition, only those customers who had already paid their bills each month were contacted. PKZ regrets "that the system change has led to misunderstandings among a very small group of customers", SRF quotes the company as saying.
At the same time, the fashion chain refers to the so-called "opt-out" principle: anyone who does not want the card must actively object. PKZ has informed customers in advance and continues to offer the option of destroying the card and opting out. Participation in the loyalty program will remain - only the "payment on account" option will be removed.
