Which? accuses supermarkets of misleading shoppers
22/04/2015
Competition regulator Which? has accused supermarkets of duping shoppers out of hundreds of millions of pounds through the use of confusing or misleading pricing tactics.
Which? has lodged a complaint about the UKs grocery sector to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) after it gathered information about “dodgy multi-buys, shrinking products and baffling sales offers.” They believe these offers fool the public into believing they are saving money, when often they end up spending more. The consumer group said it is impossible for people to know if they are getting a fair deal, particularly when prices vary all the time.
The CMA could now request a market study, where it could demand further information from supermarkets about their pricing strategies, and after that may enter into a full blown investigation.
Richard Lloyd, chief executive of Which?, said:
“Despite Which? reportedly exposing misleading and confusing pricing tactics, and calling for voluntary change by the retailers, these dodgy offers remain on numerous supermarket shelves. Shoppers think they are getting a bargain but in reality it is impossible for any consumer to know if they are genuinely getting a fair deal.
“We’re saying enough is enough, and using one of the most powerful legal weapons in our armoury to act on behalf of consumers by launching a super complaint to the regulator. We want to end misleading pricing tactics and for all retailers to use fair pricing that people can trust.”
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