Supermarkets' 'dodgy' offers face probe following Which? super-complaint

Saving and Making Money

Updated on 21 April 2015 | 0 Comments

Retailers accused of "baffling sales" and "dodgy multi-buys".

Shoppers have been duped out of hundreds of millions of pounds as a result of supermarkets’ shady pricing tactics, according to Which?

The consumer champion has now submitted a super-complaint to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Which? accused supermarkets of employing "dodgy multi-buys" and "baffling sales offers" to create the illusion of savings that simply do not exist.

Some of the issues it raised with the CMA include:

  • prices increasing when going onto a multi-buy offer, so the saving is less than claimed, and in some cases actually more expensive;
  • individual item prices of larger ‘special value’ packs being more expensive. Which? highlighted Tesco selling four cans of Green Giant Original Sweetcorn for £2, but six cans were proportionately more expensive at £3.56;
  • seasonal offers, where the higher price only applied out of season. Which? found Ocado advertised a giant easter egg on sale for £7.49 for 10 days in January, before selling it on ‘offer’ at £5 later on.

Richard Lloyd, executive director at Which?, said its calls for voluntary change by retailers had been ignored, with these “dodgy offers” remaining on many supermarket shelves.

He added: “We’re saying enough is enough and using one of the most powerful legal weapons in our armoury to act on behalf of all consumers by launching a super-complaint to the regulator. We want an end to misleading pricing tactics and for all retailers to use fair pricing that people can trust.”

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What happens next?

Only a handful of organisations are able to launch super-complaints, including Which? and Citizens Advice.

The CMA now has to examine the evidence compiled by Which?, before deciding whether to launch a full inquiry or push for new legislation.

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