The Servicio Nacional del Consumidor (Sernac) has officially intervened in Falabella’s recent restructuring of its loyalty program. Following widespread questions and concerns raised by users on social media regarding the new mechanics of the Biobiochile system, consumer protection authorities confirmed they have issued an official inquiry to the program provider. Under the regulatory request, Falabella is required to provide comprehensive details regarding the re-engineering of its rewards framework so authorities can thoroughly evaluate its impact on customer conditions.
Falabella CMR Puntos Overhaul Sparks Sernac Inquiry Over Point Values
The regulatory body has granted the retail and banking giant a deadline of 10 working days to respond to the formal request. Once the response is received, the agency will evaluate the appropriateness of pursuing legal actions to safeguard consumer rights. This scrutiny follows similar adjustments across other retail and banking loyalty initiatives, such as a prior transition implemented by Banco Santander that favored customers with longer tenures and multiple contracted products, which also drew criticism from its client base.
New Redemption Values and Accumulation Mechanics
Under the upcoming structural changes scheduled to take effect in September, the conversion rate for redemptions will shift to a direct valuation where 1 point equals $1 peso. Consequently, rewards that require fewer points under the current scheme will see a substantial numerical increase in cost. For instance, a gift card valued at $60,000 pesos—which currently requires 24,000 points—will cost 60,000 CMR Puntos under the revised setup.
Despite the changes to redemption values, the method for accumulating points will remain active through bank cards or by presenting a RUT at Grupo Falabella stores and associated partner businesses. Accumulation rates vary depending on the payment instrument utilized:
- Current Accounts: Customers accumulate 1 point for every $500 pesos spent at conglomerate stores or associated merchants.
- Classic Credit Cards: Users earn 1 point for every $150 pesos in purchases.
- Premium Credit Cards: Users earn 2 points for every $150 pesos in purchases, with access to point multipliers upon reaching specific annual accumulation thresholds.
- Élite Credit Cards: Users earn 3 points for every $150 pesos in purchases, also featuring eligibility for annual accumulation multipliers.
Additionally, the company confirmed that customer balances already saved in accounts at the time of implementation will undergo an upward adjustment to match the new scale.
Corporate Justification and Consumer Protection Regulations
Defending the overhaul, Andrea González, corporate loyalty manager for Grupo Falabella, stated that the objective of the transition is to strengthen their program and its benefits so that members can access a wide range of products, travel, and experiences according to El Reporte Diario. González further explained that the modifications are intended so that their clients can better understand their points and use them with greater ease, flexibility, and convenience.
However, Sernac reminded the provider that Chilean consumer protection laws dictate strict rules regarding alterations to established agreements. According to the regulatory agency, the Ley del Consumidor mandates that companies transparently disclose any modifications to initially contracted conditions, which are typically outlined in adhesion contracts, annexes, or internal regulations. Specifically, Article 16, letter a, explicitly prohibits corporations from unilaterally altering contractual clauses at their sole discretion. Furthermore, the agency emphasized that a consumer’s failure to respond following a notification of changes does not constitute tacit acceptance, meaning any structural modification must secure the explicit consent of the customer.
