Four largest supermarkets could face prosecution for 'misleading shoppers with grocery price war lies'

[rebel11]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2069932/Four-largest-supermarkets-face-prosecution-misleading-shoppers-grocery-price-war-lies.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

[rebel11]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/default.stm

[Amethyst37]

I note that even after this Panarama programme has aired this situation does not appear to have changed. One of the 'big four' supermarkets that I was in at the weekend still had a multi-buy offer that was more expensive than the combined individual prices.

[my-spirit-soars-free]

Most people don't take note of the prices of items, week by week, but we should. Interestingly, when the supermarkets find you noting down prices they may even tell you that what you are doing is against the law!

 

It is all very interesting.

 

1. Price of widget A goes up, steeply (not advertised)

2. Widget A advertised as multibuy (lots of publicity)

3. Widget A goes down in price when multibuy finishes, to a new price, higher than the price it started at. However, this is advertised as a price cut, reduction, etc.

 

Seasonal goods come in, and are instantly sold at half price. No doubt the small branch in the Outer Hebrides did have the items at the higher price, just to comply with the law, but for most shops, the pricing is utterly meaningless. If the line does not sell well at "half price", the price stays low... if it sells well, the price could quadruple.

 

Then there is the leaflet that drops through your door with loads of good offers, the big laptop for under £100, the turkey for £5? In the small print, it will tell you that stocks may be limited, and the offers may only be available at some stores. It is impossible to find out which stores - I suspect the same small store in the Scottish Islands - but once they have you inside the local store you buy the £30 turkey.

 

It is also the case that when a store is advertising a set number of price cuts/reductions, it can be great to actually look at the cut. One DIY store cut electrical items by 1p, but included them in the number of cuts, advertised on national TV. Of course the supermarkets are excellent at that too - penny cuts are shouted from the rooftops, 20p increases are not..

[rebel11]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15733624

[Old Cogger]

Well in the 60!s in the Outer Hebrides the local shop was a sitting room of a house and corridor, and if by chance the owner had not the item requested, a phone call to the Main Land and it was on the next Calor Gas Boat or MacBrains Ferry for delivery in a day or so, incl a mates car in the correct colour and make not available on the Island, That Was Service!!!

 

Including a Carry all bag in the Black Watch Colours not available on Island shop but arrived on Calor Gas Boat in 2 days, That!s Service @ no extra cost.

 

 

Bring back the Old Days of customer service.

Edited December 25, 2011 by Old Cogger

[rebel11]

Before self service, you would hand the shopkeeper list all the groceries you wanted which were kept behind the counter, he'd go around the shop picking your items. Thats how it was done.

[Kitten1]

Funnily enough, I thought I was going bonkers the other day in tescos. I went to get some own brand yoghurt, normally 88p for 6. (thats how often I buy it!) I noticed a sign by them saying price drop. Think they need to get a dictionary myself as the yoghurts were now over £1. So I didn't buy them.

[rebel11]

I call that a 'price hike', they can seemingly do what they like and get away with it.

 

Funnily enough, I thought I was going bonkers the other day in tescos. I went to get some own brand yoghurt, normally 88p for 6. (thats how often I buy it!) I noticed a sign by them saying price drop. Think they need to get a dictionary myself as the yoghurts were now over £1. So I didn't buy them.

[Old Cogger]

Same as Morrisons most items up 30pence, 2nd time in 3 months, they always get away with it, mind you must be a terrible time about to happen, shopping Trolleys over filled, saw one with 8 bottles Milk for a family of 4, and all the fresh veg etc (nearly ready for the bin next week) I saw less veg arrive at a Restuarant I use to work for.

[my-spirit-soars-free]

It is a price cut because you missed the few days when it was at an even higher price - so effectively, the price cuts are a great way of hiding price increases.

 

I feel the way they are doing business is utterly disgraceful, it is utterly misleading the consumer - and if you are caught writing down the prices they will escort you off the premises (against data protection laws, apparently - yeah, right!)

[theghost]

The Panorama program that was on last month - nothing they showed was out an out illegal - there was only one bit that had the potential to be illegal and (from memory) it was ASDA describing items as WOW or something when they were not actually reduced.