The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has determined that shoppers were misled by promotional offers during the Black Friday sales period. Pricing and discounts featured in advertisements by John Lewis, Boots, and Debenhams were found to be not genuine when compared to the usual selling prices of the products, according to the regulator.
Misleading Discounts Identified
For instance, two John Lewis advertisements for MacBook and ASUS laptops during the discount season were found to have overstated the price cuts. A MacBook Air from the retailer was advertised at £699, claiming a £150 saving on Black Friday. However, the ASA stated that data did not support the laptop’s selling price as £849.
The ASA also found two Debenhams ads to be misleading. One featured “44%” savings, while another included various products such as a hair styling tool with “21% savings.” Similarly, a Boots advertisement for a Hugo Boss fragrance, advertised as reduced from £80 to £60, was found to have only been sold at the higher price for 21 days when it was first launched.
Regulatory Response
Emily Henwood, operations manager at the ASA, commented: “People rightly expect the deals they see around Black Friday to be genuine. These rulings send a clear message to retailers and brands that promotional events aren’t exempt from the rules. We expect advertisers to be able to demonstrate that the discounts they promote represent real savings so that people aren’t misled.”
Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which?, added: “It’s unacceptable that well-known businesses have been reeling in customers with misleading deals. It will be reassuring to people, especially when so many are already struggling with cost-of-living pressures, that the ASA is taking action.”
Retailer Statements
A Debenhams spokesman said: “We note the ASA’s ruling in relation to a small number of marketplace product adverts from late 2025. Debenhams operates a marketplace model, where third-party sellers set their own prices and are required to comply with all advertising and pricing regulations. While we do not set or control this pricing, we have taken steps to reinforce our guidance and requirements for third-party sellers to ensure compliance with all advertising and pricing regulations.”
A John Lewis spokeswoman stated: “Our Never Knowingly Undersold price promise means we lower thousands of prices each week to match competitors – and this activity intensifies during the busy Black Friday period. While we always strive to ensure the price claims in our advertising are accurate and compliant, we apologise for two errors which weren’t picked up when we lowered our prices to match others.”
