Carrefour misled consumers in "Israel's Basket"? The question that remains open

The High Court of Justice struck down a petition against the "Israel's Basket" campaign of the Ministry of Economy, which promoted the Carrefour chain, after the ministry announced it would not extend the program beyond October 14. The court did not rule on whether the campaign misled consumers, but ordered the state to pay 5,000 shekels in expenses to the petitioners and noted that the petition raised a "real question."

The High Court of Justice struck down a petition filed by the organizations "Hatzlacha, for a Fair Society" and "Amun HaTzibur" against the "Israel's Basket" campaign of the Ministry of Economy, which promoted the Carrefour chain as having "the cheapest basket in Israel." The petition was struck down after the Ministry of Economy announced on October 6 that it would not extend the program beyond October 14, 2026, and the decision on its renewal would remain with the next government. The court, in a panel headed by President Yitzhak Amit and including Justices Yael Wilner and Ruth Ronen, did not rule on the question of deception itself. However, it ordered the state to pay the petitioning organizations 5,000 shekels in expenses and noted that the petition raised a "real question." The organizations argued that the campaign presented Carrefour as cheaper in overall purchases, while the project referred only to a defined group of products. They relied on a study from Tel Aviv University that they claimed showed price increases in other products at Carrefour alongside decreases in products included in the program. The state argued in response that the Consumer Protection Law does not apply to the Ministry of Economy in its administrative activities. Both issues remain open.