HP renders customers’ printers inoperable if they opt for less expensive ink cartridges from rival brands.

Outraged customers have taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction, feeling “deceived” by the recent update. The cost of HP ink cartridges can be more than double the price of third-party alternatives.

This is not the first time HP has faced customer backlash for blocking the use of non-HP ink cartridges. The company has already paid out millions in compensation to customers in various countries, such as America, Australia, and Europe, ever since it implemented dynamic security measures in 2016.

Last year, HP paid out $1.35m (£1m) to consumers in Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Portugal who had unknowingly purchased printers equipped with the cartridge-blocking feature. This led consumer advocates to call for an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority to determine the fairness of branded ink costs and “dynamic security” measures, as they found that lesser-known brands of ink cartridges offered better value for money compared to major brands.

Which?, a prominent consumer group, criticized manufacturers for obstructing customers from exercising their right to choose the most affordable ink option and obtain a better deal.

In response, an HP spokesperson clarified that printers with “dynamic security” are clearly labeled as such in product packaging, technical materials, and online resources. While they did not specify which printers have this feature, according to their website, all HP standard printers will block non-HP cartridges using a non-HP chip or circuitry.

The spokesperson further explained that some third-party cartridges can still function normally if they reuse the HP chip or electronic circuitry. However, disabling HP’s cartridge-blocking feature depends on the printer model, and some users may find themselves limited to using only HP-approved ink cartridges.