A lawyer is urging online shoppers to perform a quick Google search before purchasing, as some brands may exaggerate discounts to make deals appear more attractive than they really are. The warning follows an investigation by consumer group Which? that found many retailers' massive price cuts lack evidence to support the claimed savings.
The Problem with Inflated RRPs
Lisa Webb, a lawyer at Which?, warns that shoppers can be misled into thinking they have secured an incredible deal. The recommended retail price (RRP) is the price a manufacturer suggests a product should sell for, but retailers are free to set their own prices. The investigation revealed that some sellers inflate the RRP to make their actual selling price look like a steal.
Speaking on BBC Morning Live, Webb explained: "We looked at a bunch of online marketplaces and found sellers who were really inflating the RRP so that the price they were actually selling it at looked like a real bargain."
How to Check if a Discount is Genuine
Webb recommends using a reverse image search on Google to find all versions of a product picture across the web. This often leads to other websites selling the same item, allowing you to compare prices. On a mobile phone, press and hold the image to see options. On a desktop, right-click and select 'search with Google Lens'. This can reveal where the product is sold at the RRP or help you find a better deal from another brand. For best results, switch to 'exact matches'.
Legal Protections Against Misleading Discounts
UK law prohibits retailers from using inflated RRPs to create fake discounts. Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, misleading price comparisons are a criminal offence, punishable by fines of up to 10% of a company's turnover. Enforcement is carried out by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Trading Standards, and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
