Consumers are still being misled by offers. Despite stricter legislation to prevent deception. According to the Consumers’ Association, sellers have found a loophole in the law and are now stunting with so-called recommended prices.
Stricter rules apply to offers since January 1 of this year. In the case of a van-before discount, the from-price must be the lowest price that the seller used thirty days before. Raising the price shortly before an offer and then lowering it again is no longer allowed.
However, the law does not apply to suggested retail prices. And it is precisely these that are often used to make the advantage seem greater. “For example, a retailer can increase his price from 400 to 500 euros, and still advertise with a 50% discount. Because if the suggested retail price is 1000 euros, that is allowed. The retailer is not breaking the law. So something goes wrong there,” says Sandra Molenaar, director of the Consumers’ Association.
Up to 70 percent off
The Consumers’ Association kept track of the prices of one hundred large webshops and twenty drugstores and supermarkets for three months. Although the consumer organization found fewer fake offers, researchers saw many advertisements with suggested retail prices crossed out. For example, detergent manufacturers Henkel (Witte Reus and Fleuril) and Unilever (Robijn, Dove, Sun) advertise discounts on Bol.com of up to 70%. They do not mention that the discounts are related to the high recommended prices, which they determine themselves, and are never charged.
Coolblue makes an offer for a Samsung TV (from €699 to €649) look better by adding a crossed-out suggested retail price of €799. Kruidvat advertised the Nedis 7000 BTU air conditioner: suggested retail price €374.99, now for €189.99. But on the site of the air conditioning manufacturer, the suggested retail price was € 179.99. According to Kruidvat, these were price errors by the manufacturer, which he subsequently corrected.
Tighten up law
The consumer association advocates that the law on deception should be tightened. “Screens with suggested retail prices are sheer nonsense. Those prices are hardly ever charged and are also not relevant to consumers,” says Molenaar. The organization wants an end to recommended prices and ‘elsewhere’ prices. “In this way, consumers are even better protected against bogus benefits.”
This is how you check whether you have a good offer
1. If you think you have a competitive offer, look at prices from other stores. If it is comparable, the discount is not necessarily very high. On a site like Tweakers you can use the price history to look at.
2. Don’t be fooled by offers and let yourself be guided by your own needs. If you need something, then look at offers and look for the best price.
3. Memorize or record prices. This way you get a better feel for the prices and you know when something is really cheap.
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