EIGHT supermarkets have agreed to a voluntary code, which will set new rules for special offers on food and drink.
It has been adopted by Aldi, Co-op, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose – but not Asda.
Under the new rules drawn up by the Office of Fair Trading, half-price items will have to be available at the higher price for a longer or the same period as they are in a discount price, while prices should not be artificially inflated to make a discount look attractive.
A YouGov survey of shoppers found that 24 per cent felt misled by supermarket promotions. Richard Lloyd, executive director of consumer group Which?, said: “When household budgets are squeezed and food prices are one of people’s top financial worries, it’s unacceptable that shoppers are confused into thinking that they’re getting a good deal when that might not be the case.
“Regulators should be prepared to take enforcement action against traders found breaking the rules.”
A Which? investigation this year found many examples where customers were being misled over discounted prices and buy-one-get-one-free type offers. Clive Maxwell, OFT chief executive, said: ‘Household budgets across the country are under pressure and shoppers should be able to trust that special offers and promotions really are bargains.”
