Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2016 8:13:02 GMT
Major stores including Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda are under official investigation over "rip off" deals
Misleading buy-one-get-one free offers and special deals in supermarkets could be banned within weeks under a clampdown being prepared by watchdogs, as research reveals such deals are "seducing" shoppers into spending an extra £1,000 a year. The Telegraph understands the Competition and Markets Authority, the consumer regulator, is finalising plans to take action against Britain's biggest supermarkets, which stand accused of using unlawful pricing and promotional practices, designed to encourage customers to spend more.
Major stores including Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda are under official investigation after consumer group Which? invoked a rarely-used legal power to launch a "super-complaint" and demand action against supermarkets. Among the questionable deals Which? condemned were multi-buy offers that didn't reflect a real saving, reductions based on an ungenuine previous price, and seasonal offers where the higher price only applied out of season.
The action could come in the form of tighter pricing rules and in some cases supermarket giants found to have been running unlawful deals could be prosecuted and forced to shell out huge fines.
Major stores including Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda are under official investigation after consumer group Which? invoked a rarely-used legal power to launch a "super-complaint" and demand action against supermarkets. Among the questionable deals Which? condemned were multi-buy offers that didn't reflect a real saving, reductions based on an ungenuine previous price, and seasonal offers where the higher price only applied out of season.
The action could come in the form of tighter pricing rules and in some cases supermarket giants found to have been running unlawful deals could be prosecuted and forced to shell out huge fines.
