Dixons rapped over discount ads

DIXONS has been rapped by the advertising watchdog for the second time in less than a year over press ads for discounted items.

The Advertising Standards Authority said adverts for cut-price goods at Dixons, Currys and PC World were not based on the latest in-store or web prices.

The prices advertised instead related to earlier prices for which the goods had been sold, some of which were only available for short periods of time months earlier.

Phrases such as 'at least 25% off' used in the adverts exaggerated the savings available, the ASA found. It said the ads failed to include clear information about how the savings had been worked out.

Dixons were criticised by the ASA in July last year for a similar offence and was asked to make sure its adverts were made clearer in future. The industry watchdog's present findings relate to promotions for goods such as digital cameras and camcorders.

Responding to the ASA's investigation Dixons said the adverts were not misleading. 'They complied with the DTI's code of practice which states that higher prices quoted in adverts must have been available for at least 28 days in the preceding six months,' the advertiser said.

'The ASA's 2004 ruling related to a voucher offer valid on a particular weekend and did not apply to the new adverts,' added Dixons.

'We are surprised the ASA objects to our advertising of price reductions and are seriously considering an appeal to this adjudication.'

But the ASA said the claims were similar to the ones made in 2004 and expressed concern that the advertisers had not amended their practices.

An ASA spokesman said that if a company persisted in producing advertising that didn't comply with its code of conduct it could issue an ad alert to publishers to stop them taking the adverts.