Online shoppers who believe they have found an incredible discount are being urged to double-check before purchasing, as an expert warns that brands may be making deals appear better than they actually are. This follows an investigation by consumer group Which? that found retailers offering slashed prices without evidence to back up the savings.
The Which? Investigation into Misleading Discounts
Lisa Webb, a lawyer at Which?, claims that online shoppers could be misled into thinking they have found an amazing bargain. The consumer group investigated the recommended retail price (RRP) of items that had supposedly been reduced in value. The RRP is the price suggested by a manufacturer or brand for a product, intended to maintain consistent pricing across stores, though retailers are generally free to sell items above or below this figure.
The investigation found that consumers are seeing discounts on the genuine price, but Webb argues that "the discount is not nearly as good as [some retailers are] claiming." She says shoppers are being "drawn in" by the promise of a major discount that might not be all it seems.
How to Spot a Dodgy Deal
Speaking on a recent segment of BBC's Morning Live, Webb advised online shoppers to investigate a product's RRP if a discount seems too good to be true. She suggested performing a reverse image search on Google to find all versions of the product picture online, often leading to other websites that sell the same item. On a mobile phone, press and hold the image of the product to bring up the search option. On a desktop or laptop, right-clicking should offer an option such as "search with Google Lens."
Legal Protections Against Inflated RRPs
In the UK, laws exist to prevent retailers from using inflated RRP prices to create fake discounts. Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (2008) and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (2024), any misleading price comparison is a criminal offence that can result in fines of up to 10% of a company's turnover. The legislation is enforced by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Trading Standards, and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
