UK supermarkets are guilty of ‘poor practice that could mislead shoppers’, says Competition and Markets Authority. Here are some things to look out for

The UK’s leading supermarkets are guilty of “poor practice that could confuse or mislead shoppers,” according to an inquiry by the Competition and Markets Authority. Its three-month investigation was launched following a “super-complaint” by consumer group Which?, which set out details of “dodgy multibuys, shrinking products and baffling sales offers”.

UK supermarkets criticised over misleading pricing tactics Read more

As the CMA announces a series of recommendations to bring more clarity to pricing and promotions, we take a look at the top tricks supermarkets play on consumers.

1. Seasonal offers

Higher prices only applied out of season, when consumers are less likely to buy the item. A Nestlé Kit Kat Chunky Collection Giant Egg was advertised at £7.49 for 10 days in January this year at Ocado, then sold on offer at £5 for 51 days. In February 2014, a Cadbury’s Giant Creme Egg was £10 in Tesco and Sainsbury’s, then sold for £8 and £6.66 from March onwards.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Easter eggs on offer. Photograph: Alamy

2. Was/now pricing

The use of a higher “was” price when the item has been available for longer at the lower price. Acacia honey and ginger hot cross buns at Waitrose were advertised at £1.50 for just 12 days this year before going on offer at “£1.12 was £1.50” for 26 days. In 2013, the supermarket also increased the price of Waitrose blueberries to £3.99 for a week, before selling them on offer at £2.66 for more than a month.



In the same year, Sainsbury’s sold Carex Aloe Vera & Eucaluptus Moisturising Antibacterial handwash for £1.80 for seven days and then on offer at “was £1.80 now 90p” for 84 days. Asda sold Andrex Bold and Bright Toilet Rolls for 49 days at the higher price of £2.24 and then on offer for 81 days at “was £2.24 now £2”, and Tesco sold Flash All Purpose Cleaning Spray on offer for £1 for 47 days even though it had only been at the higher price of £2 for 17 days.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A barrage of offers in an Asda supermarket. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

3. Multibuys

Prices are increased on multibuy deals so that the saving is less than claimed or non-existent. Asda increased the price of a Chicago Town Four Cheese Pizza two-pack from £1.50 to £2 last year and then offered a multi-buy deal at two for £3. A single pack went back to £1.50 when the “offer” ended. The supermarket also increased the regular price of Uncle Ben’s rice in 2013 from £1 to £1.58 as it went onto a “2 for £3” multibuy, then returned it to £1 when the offer ended. In the same year, Asda again sold Innocent Pure Fruit Smoothie for £2 and then increased the price to £2.78 as it went onto a multi-buy offer of 2 for £5 – this meant it was 50p more a pack when on offer.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Hot Cross Buns - buy one get one free. Photograph: Alamy

4. Larger pack, better value

The price of individual items in the bigger pack are actually higher. Tesco sold four cans of Green Giant sweetcorn for £2 last year, but six cans were proportionately more expensive in its “special value” pack, priced at £3.56. Last year, Asda sold 12 rolls of Andrex Toilet Tissue for more per roll than the four-pack, with the larger Andrex pack marked as “great value”.

