Major high street retailers duping shoppers with ‘misleading discounts' on pricey TVs, Which? warns

Plus, we've explained how to compare prices to always get the best deal
SHOPPERS looking for a new television may want to think twice before trusting the discounts advertised by some of the UK's biggest retailers.
An investigation by consumer champion Which? has revealed questionable pricing practices at Currys, Very, and other major sellers, potentially misleading customers into believing they are getting better deals than they actually are.
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Lisa Webb, Which? consumer law expert, said: "Shoppers deserve clear, honest pricing - not smoke and mirrors."
Credit: Getty
Which? analysed over 1,600 television deals across five retailers.
More than half (56%) of the "was" prices used in promotions were not the most recent prices charged before the discount.
Which? said this tactic can create the illusion of massive savings when, in reality, the higher price may not have been charged for months – or was only briefly in place.
Plus, four in 10 TVs (40%) had a "was" price that was only in effect for less time than the discounted price.
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And a third of all the TVs reviewed (33%) were doubly misleading, with both intervening prices and promotional periods longer than the higher "was" price.
Which? said the findings are concerning because UK consumer protection guidance states that a "was" price must represent the genuine price immediately prior to the discount.
Retailers that dodge these rules risk enforcement action from authorities such as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Lisa Webb, Which? consumer law expert, said: "Shoppers deserve clear, honest pricing - not smoke and mirrors.
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"If retailers are using dodgy was/now discounts to create the illusion of a bargain then we expect the competition regulator to take enforcement action.
'Anyone in the market for a new TV or any other expensive purchase should take any such discounts with a pinch of salt and check price tracking sites like CamelCamelCamel or Price Runner to ensure they are getting a genuine deal before making a decision."
Shopping discounts - How to make savings and find the best bargains
Which retailers were the worst offenders?
Very emerged as the worst offender in the Which? investigation.
Of the 399 TV deals reviewed, nearly nine in 10 (87%) used "was" prices that were not the most recent, and over half (53%) had higher prices that were in place for less time than the promotional price.
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For example, the LG OLED65B46LA 65-inch TV was advertised with a "was" price of £2,499 and a "now" price of £1,499.
However, the £2,499 price hadn't been charged for five months and had been replaced by seven lower price points during that time.
Currys also came under fire, with three-quarters (75%) of its 608 TV deals featuring outdated "was" prices.
Plus, it had the highest rate (68%) of TVs where the higher price applied for a shorter time than the discounted price.
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An example includes the LG UT73 50-inch TV, which had a "was" price of £399.99 and a "now" price of £299.99.
The higher price had only been in place for 25 days, compared to 207 days at the lower price.
What about other retailers?
While AO was also found to use intervening prices in a third (33%) of its deals, it provides transparency by publishing the dates of its "was" prices and acknowledging that lower prices may have applied.
This makes AO's deals less likely to mislead shoppers, Which? said.
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Argos performed the best, with nearly all of its "was" prices reflecting the price immediately before the promotion, offering customers a more accurate picture of potential savings.
Amazon's pricing practices were also reviewed, but the retailer uses a different approach.
Its "was" prices reflect the median price paid by customers over the past 90 days, excluding promotional offers.
While this is a distinct method, Which? has concerns that it could still confuse shoppers and make discounts appear larger than they are.
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Which? also revealed earlier this week that Sports Direct shoppers are being misled by deceptive pricing tactics, creating the illusion of bargain deals.

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