A Rome court has ordered Netflix to refund Italian customers up to €500 each due to unlawful price hikes. The consumer advocacy group Movimento Consumatori brought the case, alleging that Netflix failed to justify increases in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2024.

The court ruled that Netflix’s contracts should have anticipated such changes with valid reasons. Without these justifications, the price hikes are invalid, and customers can now claim refunds.

For a premium subscriber, the total of unlawful increases currently stands at €8 monthly, while for standard plans it's €4 per month. A customer who has paid from 2017 to today could receive around €500, with a basic plan increase in October 2024 adding another €2.

Netflix has been given 90 days to inform millions of affected customers via email and mail. Failure to do so would result in daily penalties of €700, according to Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. The court’s decision highlights the ongoing battle between big tech companies and consumer rights.