A number of UK supermarkets have signed up to a new set of Office of Fair Trading (OFT) principles regarding special offers.
Tesco, Waitrose, Aldi, Co-Op, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s have agreed to the regulations, which have been drawn up to address concerns about food and drink promotions.
These stores will now incorporate the changes into their own policies in a bid to ensure consumers are benefitting from deals that are fair and meaningful with regard to product value and the existence of a discount.
Clive Maxwell, chief executive at the OFT – which is a non-ministerial government department – said: “Household budgets across the country are under pressure and shoppers should be able to trust that special offers and promotions really are bargains.”
Mr Maxwell observed this is especially important when it comes to grocery shopping, as this makes up around 44 per cent of household spending.
As part of the update, supermarkets have to ensure advertising such as “bigger pack, better value” ring true, while prices should not be raised artificially so that a later discount appears more appealing.
