Influencer Chiara Ferragni issues apology amid €1M fine for misleading charity Christmas cake sale

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Updated Jan 5, 2024 at 03:23 PM

Reading time: 2 minutes

53185

No, Chiara, you didn’t… Italy’s leading influencer, Chiara Ferragni, found herself issuing a profound apology this week after the country’s anti-trust authority imposed a fine exceeding  €1 million (£930,000). The penalty was a consequence of misleading claims tied to the sale of a well-known Italian Christmas cake, where Ferragni asserted proceeds would aid children battling bone cancer.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Chiara Ferragni ✨ (@chiaraferragni)

This controversy has generated substantial unfavourable attention for Ferragni, a globally renowned fashion influencer with close to 30 million followers on Instagram. Even Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni voiced criticism over the weekend, contributing to the escalating public scrutiny surrounding the case.

“The real models to follow are not the influencers who make a lot of money by wearing clothes and showing bags… or even promoting expensive cakes that make people believe they are charitable,” Meloni stated.

What happened with Chiara Ferragni and Balocco’s deceptive advertising?

Why was Chiara Ferragni’s advertising deemed deceptive? The companies Fenice and TBS Crew, managing the influencer’s brands and rights, along with Balocco, allegedly promoted the ‘Pink Christmas’ pandoro (priced at two and a half times the regular pandoro) in a way that led people to believe that a portion of the proceeds would go to the Turin hospital to support research on two types of cancer and the purchase of a new machine.

In reality, Balocco had already donated money to the hospital in May 2022, well before Christmas of this year. Despite earning over €1 million from this move, Ferragni’s companies did not actually contribute to the charitable cause they promoted. As a result, Italy’s Antitrust imposed a €1 million fine on her company.

Additionally, the consumer rights group Codacons filed a complaint for aggravated fraud against consumers, urging the intervention of the Guardia di Finanza. Codacons requested the seizure of the accounts of Ferragni’s companies to safeguard consumers who purchased the branded pandoro.

What happened with Chiara Ferragni and Easter eggs?

Following the pandoro case, a precedent arose concerning Easter eggs. Cereali Italia, owner of the Dolci Preziosi brand, initiated a campaign for the association i Bambini delle Fate. This campaign allegedly collected €36,000 in donations, while Ferragni reportedly earned over €1 million for her involvement. The company initially proposed linking donations to Easter egg sales, as stated by Franco Antonello, founder of i Bambini delle Fate, but the company later denied this in a statement.

Chiara Ferragni’s apology video

To mitigate the controversy, Ferragni released a video apology that garnered significant attention. In the clip, she declared her intention to donate €1 million to charity, along with any difference between the requested and confirmed fine, if her appeal is successful. This could potentially lead Ferragni to contribute double the sanctioned amount, further amplifying the reputational damage she’s suffered from this controversy. The video drew attention not only for the apology but also for Ferragni’s strategic presentation without makeup and wearing neutral colours.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Chiara Ferragni ✨ (@chiaraferragni)

The case sparked numerous reactions on social media from celebrities and politicians alike. Meloni criticised Ferragni during the Atreju festival, targeting influencers who promote products with misleading claims of charity. Massimiliano Dona, lawyer and president of the Unione Nazionale Consumatori (UNC), explained the Antitrust’s decision to fine Ferragni and Balocco for deceptive advertising, highlighting the potential severe reputational consequences for the influencer if the Antitrust’s reconstruction is confirmed.

Keep On Reading

By Malavika Pradeep

Introducing scam rap, a music subgenre where artists teach you how to scam

By Alma Fabiani

Hackers are scamming people for the blue verification tick on Instagram

By Malavika Pradeep

Thanks to gift card scams, it’s beginning to look a lot more shady this holiday season

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Did Chappell Roan push her assistant on the red carpet? We analyse the footage

By Charlie Sawyer

President Trump and JD Vance angry over the DNC setting up a taco truck outside RNC headquarters

By Charlie Sawyer

Mexican beauty influencer Valeria Marquez killed during TikTok livestream in alleged femicide

By Charlie Sawyer

Father of former Harry Potter star gives serious warning to the new child stars in HBO Max reboot

By Eliza Frost

Bad Bunny announced as halftime act for Super Bowl 2026—and conservatives aren’t too happy 

By Charlie Sawyer

McDonald’s hit with new mass boycott. Here’s who’s behind it and why

By Eliza Frost

Kim Kardashian wants to know how much a carton of milk costs 

By Eliza Frost

It now takes 20 hours of work a week to survive as a UK university student

By Eliza Frost

Controversial American Apparel owner just opened LA Apparel in NYC and TikTok girlies are flocking to shop

By Charlie Sawyer

UK women who miscarry could face home and phone searches following new anti-abortion police guidance

By Eliza Frost

The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 proves we’ll never be over love triangles

By Eliza Frost

What is Banksying? Inside the latest toxic dating trend even worse than ghosting

By Julie Huynh

Hockey fan edits are taking over TikTok, and it’s all thanks to Gen Z girlies

By Eliza Frost

Why do people want a nose like the Grinch? The Whoville TikTok trend explained

By Eliza Frost

Will Belly choose herself in the final episodes of The Summer I Turned Pretty?

By Eliza Frost

Gavin Casalegno calls out Team Jeremiah bullying in The Summer I Turned Pretty fandom

By Charlie Sawyer

Odd Muse founder Aimee Smale fights back against fast fashion controversy on TikTok