Zalando false advertising.

A German private-sector competition watchdog said on Thursday it filed for an injunction against online fashion retailer Zalando, accusing the group of false advertising.

The Centre for Protection against Unfair Competition said in a statement that Zalando had in its online shop misrepresented how many pieces of certain items of clothing were still available, creating the impression that customers needed to act fast to buy them.

It said it filed the suit with a regional court in Berlin.

Zalando was not immediately available for comment.

Most German trade corporations are members of the Centre for Protection against Unfair Competition, a self-regulatory body, which regularly initiates legal action against groups which infringe laws concerning unfair competition.