Israeli Court Approves Class Action Against Apple Importer Over Used Parts

A district court in central Israel has approved a class-action lawsuit against Icon and its subsidiary iDigital, the official importers of Apple products in Israel. The lawsuit, filed by Aviel Avni and represented by attorney Ben Zion Citrin, alleges that the companies retain replaced parts from customer repairs without compensation, subsequently profiting from them by returning them to Apple globally.

The estimated damages in the lawsuit amount to NIS 241 million. Avni claims that when customers pay for new parts, such as for AirPods charging cases or MacBook screens, the old parts are kept by the repair centers and are not returned to the customer. He asserts that these retained parts are then refurbished by Apple and put back into circulation, generating revenue for the companies.

Judge Carmit Ben Eliezer ruled that there is a possibility the companies violated consumer protection regulations and a 2023 agreement with the Consumer Council. This agreement stipulated that customers should retain their replaced parts unless they explicitly waive this right in writing. The judge noted that Icon failed to present any form of waiver signed by a customer.

The lawsuit covers customers who had AirPods or MacBooks repaired by the companies after their warranty expired, within the seven years preceding the lawsuit's filing and up to the final verdict. The plaintiff estimates that individual customers lost approximately NIS 500 for replaced MacBook screens and NIS 100-150 for AirPods charging cases.

Icon and iDigital responded that they are reviewing the court's decision, which they claim dismissed most of the lawsuit's claims and criticized the plaintiff's conduct. They stated that the approved claims are theoretical and detached from consumer reality, asserting that the decision is preliminary and does not establish any damages.