A Travel Republic competition offered prizes for videos showing the entrants who were quickest at packing their suitcase with 20 items. A complaint was made to the ASA after the closing date was extended and entry requirements “clarified.” Daisy Jones reports.
The Government has reported on whether brand owners should be able to take direct action against lookalike products under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Has this pleased anti lookalike lobbyist the British Brands Group? Barney Sich reports.
Following mounting criticism of the current, 2010-published BIS Pricing Practices Guide, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute is consulting on proposed new guidance following input from the Competition and Markets Authority and Which? Claire Temple reports
The UK’s premium rate telephone line regulator has published an updated General Guidance Note on promoting premium rate services. “Freemium” advertising models feature as does charity fundraising. Ben Dunham reports.
The fall-out from the sad demise of an aged Bristol donor complaining of cold calls continues with an official report into fundraising that says the current self-regulatory system should be scrapped. Daisy Jones reports.
Point One Marketing has been fined for brazenly making illegal calls to sell devices that blocked…..illegal calls, with a record penalty imposed on Home Energy & Lifestyle Management for automated calls “on an industrial scale.” Barney Sich reports.
In three recent ASA adjudications, against Timeshare Solutions, Hospital Medical Group and Essex Pamper Parties, customer testimonials were the subject of complaint upheld findings. Thomas Spanyol reports with a reminder of the rules that apply.
Does a Slovak-registered business running a property-dealing website targeted at Hungarians hosted on a server in Austria have to comply with Slovak or Hungarian data protection law? Stephen Groom reports on the CJEU’s decision in Weltimmo vs NAIH.
Outdoor advertising multinational JCDecaux sought authorisation for a wi-fi based system for connecting with smartphones of pedestrians walking near posters. Did the CNIL grant their request? Claire Bouchenard of Osborne Clarke Paris reports.
A California-based online entertainment network has agreed to settle FTC charges that it engaged in deceptive advertising in You Tube videos endorsing an online game system. Would the same conduct here have also irked our regulators? Jamie Heatly reports.
An e-mail headline said “Everything under the sun. It’s all 40% off…excluding sale items.” Small print below said” Offer applies to select products as indicated [in store]” Surely this was not misleading? Stephen Groom and Anna Kehely report on the ASA’s finding.
A sales promotion shelf label said “Normal price £139.99 today £118.99” .A complaint suggested the higher price had only applied for a few days before the promotion, with £111.99 the price for some weeks beforehand. Fiona Schneider reports.
