Apple received a fine of R$ 12.2 million by Procon in Rio de Janeiro for selling the brand's cell phones without a charger. The Consumer Protection Agency takes into account abusive practices, which can result in the tying process – when the customer needs to purchase a separate item for the device to function normally. 

The fine applied refers to the iPhone 12 model, but the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 (which will be launched in September) have also been the target of two other notifications for lack of charger with fines that can also be around R$ 12 million each.

A sanctions procedure has been initiated for the iPhone model 13, the company's response time is up to 20 days. A preliminary investigation is being conducted for the iPhone 14 that has not yet been released, and the company will have 5 days to respond. If these violations are confirmed, the combined fines could reach around R$ 36 million.

The executive director of Procon-RJ, Igor Costa, told O Globo that the practice has happened frequently. “It is nothing new that the largest companies in the telephone sector sell cell phones in Brazil by dividing their products under the argument of sustainability. This practice is estimated to have brought Apple over US$6 billion in revenue growth.”

When contacted, Apple said through its press office that it would not comment on the fine imposed by the consumer protection agency in Rio de Janeiro. In 2021, Procon-SP had already fined the company R$ 10.5 million for selling cell phones without a charger.

A bill pending in the Chamber of Deputies requires providers to include the battery, headset, charger, cables and adapters necessary for the cell phone to function. PL 5451/2020, authored by federal deputy Marcelo Ramos (PL-AM), is in the Constitutional, Judiciary and Citizenship Committee awaiting the opinion of the rapporteurs.

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