Pingo Doce promotes precautions against Citizen’s Voice Association

Pingo Doce has taken precautionary measures against the Citizens’ Voice association and its directors in defense of honor and reputation, an official source at the group’s supermarket chain Jerónimo Martins confirmed to Luse on Tuesday.

This news was published on Tuesday by Eco newspaper.

“We confirm that we were forced to offer, in order to protect our honor and reputation, a precautionary measure against the Citizens’ Voice association and its leaders,” the source said.

“This is about putting an end to the accusations that this association constantly makes on its website that our company has committed crimes against our clients and consumers,” said an official source.

Pingo Dose “fully respects the freedom of expression that everyone enjoys in a democratic society, which does not conflict with his right to take legal action when he perceives that, under the guise of freedom of expression, actual illegal and unjustified attacks on his benefit are taking place.” name and reputation, as it happens,” he continued.

An official source from the Jerónimo Martins retail chain emphasized that “Pingo Doce respects the court and, since it is convinced of its complete justification, calmly awaits the decision that the court will make on the claim.”

A statement published on the Citizens’ Voice website condemned Pingo Doce’s “attempt to impose restrictions on freedom of expression and consumer rights.”

“Pingo Doce has filed a preventative action aimed at restricting our freedom of expression and information. This procedure seeks to prohibit Citizen’s Voice from publishing and sharing content that informs consumers of Pingo Doce’s illegal behavior, including the sale of essential goods at prices higher than this price. shown on the signs,” the association says.

“An attempt to impose the Traffic Jam Law on the proliferation of mass protests and crime investigations promoted by ASAE. [Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica] against Pingo Doce and consumer rights represents a blatant attack on one of the fundamental pillars of democracy,” the association accuses, deeming it a “dangerous precedent” for democracy.

In response to “this serious threat to freedom of expression and information, as well as the rights of the consumers we represent,” the association had already “expressed its opposition to the above precautionary procedure, which it did less than 24 hours after it was cited.” .

According to the association, Pingo Doce claims that Citizens’ Voice’s publications “have caused it a loss of one million euros, and demands that it and its directors be subject to a mandatory fine of five thousand euros per day if the publications are not removed.”

“This is a decisive moment for the protection of freedom of expression and the right to information in Portugal,” so “we invite all citizens and organizations to join us in this important battle,” he concludes.

Voice of Citizens – The Consumer Protection Association is a non-governmental organization established to promote the interests of consumers in the European Union through research, advocacy and education.