Just days after another price hike for US users, Netflix faced a court ruling in Italy that could force the platform to refund hundreds of euros to longtime subscribers.
Italian consumer protection organization Movimento Consumatori sued Netflix over four price increases between 2017 and 2024. The problem was that Netflix’s contracts allegedly did not clearly explain why and under what conditions prices could change in the future.
The Italian Law on Consumer Protection stipulates that companies cannot increase prices without a clear and justified reason stated in the contract. The court agreed and ruled on April 1 that Netflix’s price increases violated these rules.
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What does this mean for subscribers? A premium package user who pays for the service since 2017 could get about 500 euros back. Users of the standard package could receive around 250 euros.
The court also ordered Netflix to return the current prices to the level before the increase, ie to 11.99 euros instead of 19.99 for the premium package and 9.99 euros instead of 13.99 for the standard package.
Netflix has 90 days to notify millions of current and former users in Italy via email, mail, its website and national newspapers. Otherwise, he will face a daily fine of 700 euros.
The Movimento Consumatori organization has announced the launch of a collective lawsuit if Netflix does not comply with the ruling without delay.
Before checking your account balance, it’s important to note that this decision only applies to Italy. Netflix has already filed an appeal and claims its terms have always complied with local laws. The company also updated its contract terms in April 2025 to more clearly explain future price changes, so price increases after that date are likely allowed.
For now, subscribers in Italy could finally see a positive outcome, while for other users the new price increases remain in effect, unless similar legal actions are initiated in their countries, reports Android Central.