Advertisment
The advertising which appeared in banner format through a third party website referred to the following:
“New Salon Blanchardstown Opening Soon
Stand up and lie down
TANNING
From only 50c per minute – latest 2016 Models.
TanningSalon.ie Winner of the 2017 Best Tanning Salon
Open late 7 days, New 2017 Sunbed models, 25% cheaper than competitors”.
Complaint
The complainants, Tanzone Dundrum, challenged the claim that Tanningsalon.ie were 25% cheaper than their competitors. They said that while they may be cheaper in some instances this was not always the case.
Response
The advertisers said that the banner advertising in question related to their Dundrum Salon only and in stating that they were cheaper than their competitors’ they were referring to their competitors’ in Dundrum only. They said they stood over their claim and provided the following figures for comparative purposes.
Sunbed Type:
Sunangle
Tanzone Dundrum price: 87.7c
Tanningsalon.ie price: 50c
Prestige 1400
Tanzone Dundrum price: €1.00
Tanningsalon.ie price: 70c
Sunrise
Tanzone Dundrum price: €1.00
Tanningsalon.ie price: 60c
Affinity
Tanzone Dundrum price: €1.00
Tanningsalon.ie price: 50c
Conclusion
Complaint Upheld
The Complaints Committee considered the detail of the complaint and the advertisers’ response. The Committee did not consider that it was clear from the advertising that the price comparison was being made against other salons in the Dundrum area only. They noted, for example, that it had also been referenced in the advertisement that there was a new salon opening in Blanchardstown soon.
Taking the content of the advertisement into consideration, the Committee considered it to be in breach of Sections 4.1, 4.4, 4.9 and 4.10 of the Code.
Action Required:
The advertising should not appear in its current format again.
