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Metro
21 hours ago
- Business
- Metro
High street retailers accused of 'duping' customers with TV discounts
Retailers are duping shoppers with 'misleading discounts' on pricey TVs, Which? has warned. The consumer watchdog found that some retailers make out their 'Was/now' deals are better than they are. Which? analysed more than 1,600 television sales across five retailers: Currys, Argos and the online shops Very, and Amazon. Investigators found more than half (56%) of the 'was' prices used in promotions were not the most recent prices before the discount. Often, these higher previous price tags were only in place briefly, or the prices had changed several times over a few weeks. Four in 10 TV sets had a 'was' price tag only in effect for less time than the discounted price, giving the illusion of a saving. A third of all the TVs reviewed (33%) were doubly misleading, with the 'now' price and promotional period longer than the 'was' price. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Nearly nine in 10 (87%) of TV deals on Very used a 'was' price that wasn't the most recent. An LG OLED65B46LA, 65-inch, LED, 4K UHD, Smart TV on the shopping website had a £1,499 price tag in November, with its 'was' price at £2,499. Yet Which? said this discount is 'less impressive' than it seems, given the model had been sold for seven different prices since the 'was' price in June. Electronics store Currys was criticised by Which? after it found three-quarters (75%) of its 608 TV deals had outdated 'was' price stickers. Nearly seven in 10 of the TVs had a higher price for a shorter time than the slashed one, such as the LG UT73 50-inch TV, which had an earlier price of £399.99 before 'now' being £299.99. Yet Which? found the higher price tag had only been in place for 25 days, compared to 207 days at the lower one. One third of TVs sold by also listed a 'was' price that wasn't the most recent. But Which? said they 'weren't likely to mislead shoppers' as the online store lists the date the 'was' price was last used as well as stressing that intervening prices may have applied. Argos performed the best out of the four retailers, with nearly all of its 'was' prices reflecting the price immediately before the promotion. Amazon used a slightly different playbook to flogging discounted TVs, Which? said. Four in 10 TVs sold on the market platform had a 'was' price that wasn't the most recent. But Amazon considers the 'was' price not as the most recent one, but the 'median selling price paid by customers for that product on its website'. More Trending Which? said: 'We're also concerned that the exclusion of promotional prices may mean those so-called 'was' prices are higher than they might have been. We believe this approach could be confusing for shoppers.' Lisa Webb, Which? consumer law expert, added: 'Shoppers deserve clear, honest pricing – not smoke and mirrors. 'If retailers are using dodgy was/now discounts to create the illusion of a bargain, then we expect the competition regulator to take enforcement action. View More » 'Anyone in the market for a new TV or any other expensive purchase should take any such discounts with a pinch of salt and check price tracking sites like CamelCamelCamel or Price Runner to ensure they are getting a genuine deal before making a decision.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Poundland has been a lifeline for me – I'm sick of the snobbery MORE: Amazon confirms beloved 98-year-old star will return in 2027 sequel to iconic 80s comedy MORE: 45 of the best last-minute Father's Day gifts for every kind of dad, stepdad or grandad Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Major high street retailers duping shoppers with ‘misleading discounts' on pricey TVs, Which? warns
Plus, we've explained how to compare prices to always get the best deal SHOPPERS looking for a new television may want to think twice before trusting the discounts advertised by some of the UK's biggest retailers. An investigation by consumer champion Which? has revealed questionable pricing practices at Currys, Very, and other major sellers, potentially misleading customers into believing they are getting better deals than they actually are. Advertisement 1 Lisa Webb, Which? consumer law expert, said: "Shoppers deserve clear, honest pricing - not smoke and mirrors." Credit: Getty Which? analysed over 1,600 television deals across five retailers. More than half (56%) of the "was" prices used in promotions were not the most recent prices charged before the discount. Which? said this tactic can create the illusion of massive savings when, in reality, the higher price may not have been charged for months – or was only briefly in place. Plus, four in 10 TVs (40%) had a "was" price that was only in effect for less time than the discounted price. Advertisement And a third of all the TVs reviewed (33%) were doubly misleading, with both intervening prices and promotional periods longer than the higher "was" price. Which? said the findings are concerning because UK consumer protection guidance states that a "was" price must represent the genuine price immediately prior to the discount. Retailers that dodge these rules risk enforcement action from authorities such as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Lisa Webb, Which? consumer law expert, said: "Shoppers deserve clear, honest pricing - not smoke and mirrors. Advertisement "If retailers are using dodgy was/now discounts to create the illusion of a bargain then we expect the competition regulator to take enforcement action. 'Anyone in the market for a new TV or any other expensive purchase should take any such discounts with a pinch of salt and check price tracking sites like CamelCamelCamel or Price Runner to ensure they are getting a genuine deal before making a decision." Shopping discounts - How to make savings and find the best bargains Which retailers were the worst offenders? Very emerged as the worst offender in the Which? investigation. Of the 399 TV deals reviewed, nearly nine in 10 (87%) used "was" prices that were not the most recent, and over half (53%) had higher prices that were in place for less time than the promotional price. Advertisement For example, the LG OLED65B46LA 65-inch TV was advertised with a "was" price of £2,499 and a "now" price of £1,499. However, the £2,499 price hadn't been charged for five months and had been replaced by seven lower price points during that time. Currys also came under fire, with three-quarters (75%) of its 608 TV deals featuring outdated "was" prices. Plus, it had the highest rate (68%) of TVs where the higher price applied for a shorter time than the discounted price. Advertisement An example includes the LG UT73 50-inch TV, which had a "was" price of £399.99 and a "now" price of £299.99. The higher price had only been in place for 25 days, compared to 207 days at the lower price. What about other retailers? While AO was also found to use intervening prices in a third (33%) of its deals, it provides transparency by publishing the dates of its "was" prices and acknowledging that lower prices may have applied. This makes AO's deals less likely to mislead shoppers, Which? said. Advertisement Argos performed the best, with nearly all of its "was" prices reflecting the price immediately before the promotion, offering customers a more accurate picture of potential savings. Amazon's pricing practices were also reviewed, but the retailer uses a different approach. Its "was" prices reflect the median price paid by customers over the past 90 days, excluding promotional offers. While this is a distinct method, Which? has concerns that it could still confuse shoppers and make discounts appear larger than they are. Advertisement Which? also revealed earlier this week that Sports Direct shoppers are being misled by deceptive pricing tactics, creating the illusion of bargain deals.
