The Dutch Railways (NS) has apologized after a technical error in its 'Wintercity' promotion led thousands of people to mistakenly believe they had won a luxury dinner with a private chef at home. The promotion, featuring an online advent calendar with prizes ranging from NS Christmas sweaters to exclusive dining experiences, was intended to have only one winner for the grand prize.
According to NS, a confirmation email for participation should have been sent out. However, due to a glitch, the prize notification for the private chef was inadvertently sent to approximately 6,000 recipients. The actual winner was supposed to receive the announcement a day later.
"We understand this may come across as careless, and we apologize for the confusion," an NS spokesperson said. "We are continuing with the Wintercity promotion and have conducted extra checks to ensure all technical aspects are now in order."
Some affected participants suggested an apology dinner, such as hosting communal tables at Utrecht Central Station. Despite these suggestions, NS stated there are currently no plans for such an event.
This incident echoes a similar error last year when thousands believed they had won a free overnight stay due to another email mishap during a holiday promotion.
Source: NOS News