Advertisment
A sponsored post and a post on the advertisers’ own Facebook page advertised the price of petrol and diesel at a filling station.
The posts stated:
“Even further reductions on our Old Cabra Rd Forecourt Prices not to be missed.
Old Cabra Road PRICES DOWN
Unleaded 1.749
Diesel 1.789”
The timeline post included a date stamp of Aug 15 2022.
Complaint
The complainant viewed the post in late August and visited the station to avail of the prices advertised. On visiting the station, the complainant noted that the price for petrol was 5c more expensive than that quoted, and diesel was 10c more expensive than that quoted. In the circumstances, the complainant considered that the post was misleading.
Response
The advertisers said that the advertisement was accurate at the time of printing and was not misleading. They believed the inclusion of the wording ‘prices not to be missed’ was reasonably clear to objective bystanders that it was a limited offer and could be missed.
Conclusion
Complaint Upheld.
The Complaints Committee considered the detail of the complaint and the advertisers’ response.
While the Committee noted that the prices quoted were correct at the time the posts were published, they did not consider that the phrase ‘prices not to be missed’ was sufficiently clear to indicate that it was a limited time offer. In the absence of a sufficiently clear notification that the offer was for a limited time only, the Committee considered that the advertising was in breach of Sections 4.1 and, 4.4 of the Code.
Action Required: The advertising must not reappear in its current form again. The Committee advised the advertisers that future similar offers should include a clear notification of the duration of reduced price offers.
