The consumer rights body Consumers and Users of the Balearics (Consubal) has reported today that establishments cannot charge supplements that are not indicated on the menu or of which they have not been previously informed, so consumers can refuse to pay them.
In a press release, the organisation said that the number of enquiries and complaints from consumers who are forced to pay supplements in bars and restaurants for services or complements that have been offered without warning them that they have a surcharge is increasing.
The president of Consubal, Alfonso Rodríguez, explained that, for example, it is very common for establishments to offer bread, olives and aioli to diners on arrival without informing them that they have an extra cost and that, furthermore, they do not appear on the menu or price list.
The body has criticised the fact that restaurants offer these items without warning that they have an extra cost leads diners to think that it is on the house, so that the extra cost of up to three euros per diner when they receive the bill is unexpected.
Another example that Rodríguez has highlighted is the case where, when ordering an iced coffee, a supplement is charged for the ice, in some cases up to 20 cents per cube, an amount that is discovered when the bill is paid and which is not mentioned, making it unlawful to charge for it.
In these cases, Consubal has recommended consumers to ask for a complaint form, since, according to Consubal, it is not licit to charge for services or complements that do not appear on the menu, in the price list or of which the consumer has not been previously warned of the extra cost.