Tesco has successfully seen off a legal challenge from rival supermarket Sainsbury’s.
The latter had filed a complaint about the former’s Price Promise campaign, which essentially compares the price of its own goods with those of other retailers. If shoppers can get their hands on products more cheaply in another store, Tesco refunds the difference.
However, bosses at Sainsburys felt the retailer had been misleading customers by making unfair comparisons.
Sainsbury’s commercial director Mike Coupe said Tesco had been putting the price of its Everyday Value ham – which is sourced from somewhere within the EU – up against his firm’s British-made Basics ham.
He believes because the products are manufactured in different countries, it is wrong to compare them directly.
Unfortunately for Mr Coupe, the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that Tesco has not breached any rules.
Supermarkets have been challenged by consumer watchdog Which? to make it easier for shoppers to compare the price of their products.
The organisation launched the ‘Price it Right’ campaign last September and four leading retailers – Morrisons, Aldi, The Co-operative and Waitrose – have now pledged their support for the initiative.
