Lastminute.com in trouble over 'misleading' savings claims
Lastminute.com is in hot water after it was found to be advertising "misleading" savings claims on its website.
Search results on the online travel site featured the claims “save 38 percent. Total stay £190.00 £118.50”; the “£190.00” was struck out. Text continued “Based on Standard Non-Smoking Double Room Only”.
One consumer, who understood £190 was the cost of a superior room, alerted the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and questioned whether the savings claim for the standard room could be substantiated.
Lastminute.com said hotels featured on its site provided them with their own price for the relevant room-type for the day in question as well as their ‘top secret’ rate, which was the type of offer shown in the search results.
The company provided details of the top secret product and a link to the hotel’s own website. They said the search results did not claim to offer a discount on a superior room.
While the ASA acknowledged the ad claim that a discount was available on a stay in a standard, rather than superior, room, it felt had not seen evidence to demonstrate that £190 was the usual price forit, and that consumers could therefore save 38 per cent as stated.
The ad must not appear again in its current form. The ASA told Lastminute.com to ensure their future savings claims did not mislead about the benefit available.