What's happened
Aldi's advertisement claiming to offer the cheapest Christmas dinner in Britain was deemed misleading by the ASA following a complaint from Sainsbury's. The ad compared prices with Sainsbury's and implied Aldi was the cheapest option for a festive meal, leading to the ruling of being misleading.
Why it matters
The ruling by the ASA highlights the importance of accurate advertising claims, ensuring consumers are not misled by comparisons. This decision may impact how supermarkets advertise their prices in the future, promoting transparency and fairness in marketing.
What the papers say
Sky News reported that Sainsbury's complained the ad was misleading as the price comparison did not reflect the period when consumers typically buy fresh produce for Christmas dinner. The Independent highlighted that Aldi's claim was based on a comparison by Which?, but the ASA found the ad could lead shoppers to believe Aldi was the cheapest overall. BBC News mentioned that Aldi defended the ad as an 'advertising technicality' and questioned whether the claims could be verified.
How we got here
Aldi's advertisement compared the cost of Christmas dinner ingredients with Sainsbury's, claiming to be over 20% cheaper. Sainsbury's challenged the accuracy of the comparison, leading to the ASA ruling that the ad was misleading. The dispute underscores the importance of accurate and transparent advertising in the retail sector.
More on these topics
-
The Advertising Standards Authority is the self-regulatory organisation of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom. The ASA is a non-statutory organisation and so cannot interpret or enforce legislation.
-
Aldi is the common brand of two German family-owned discount supermarket chains with over 10,000 stores in 20 countries, and an estimated combined turnover of more than €50 billion.