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| Asda to change price promotions after CMA investigation | Asda to change price promotions after CMA investigation |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Asda is to change its price promotions after being singled out by the competition regulator in a probe into supermarket pricing practices. | Asda is to change its price promotions after being singled out by the competition regulator in a probe into supermarket pricing practices. |
| Asda has given a commitment to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that it will alter the way it presents promotional deals. | Asda has given a commitment to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that it will alter the way it presents promotional deals. |
| However, the supermarket said there were no specific findings against it. | However, the supermarket said there were no specific findings against it. |
| The regulator was investigating whether supermarkets were misleading customers with confusing price promotions. | The regulator was investigating whether supermarkets were misleading customers with confusing price promotions. |
| The investigation came after a super-complaint by the consumer group Which?. | The investigation came after a super-complaint by the consumer group Which?. |
| At the time it issued the super-complaint, in April 2015, Which? cited several examples of what it called misleading pricing by supermarkets: | |
| In July last year, the CMA said it had found evidence that supermarkets were misleading consumers with promotions, and found some examples that "could be in breach of consumer law". | In July last year, the CMA said it had found evidence that supermarkets were misleading consumers with promotions, and found some examples that "could be in breach of consumer law". |
| August deadline | |
| Presenting the CMA's latest findings, executive director Michael Grenfell said: "The CMA's examination of the market, following the super-complaint, found that supermarkets generally take compliance seriously, but there were some promotional practices that could mislead shoppers." | Presenting the CMA's latest findings, executive director Michael Grenfell said: "The CMA's examination of the market, following the super-complaint, found that supermarkets generally take compliance seriously, but there were some promotional practices that could mislead shoppers." |
| The CMA said it had "had particular engagement with Asda in relation to specific areas of concern". | The CMA said it had "had particular engagement with Asda in relation to specific areas of concern". |
| It added that Asda had made a commitment to change the way it operates "was/now" and multi-buy pricing deals. | It added that Asda had made a commitment to change the way it operates "was/now" and multi-buy pricing deals. |
| Asda has said it will ensure that: | Asda has said it will ensure that: |
| A spokesperson for Asda said, "All supermarkets were asked to review their pricing practices and make any necessary changes. The CMA has asked for a commitment from Asda on our promotional pricing rules and we were happy to provide this. | A spokesperson for Asda said, "All supermarkets were asked to review their pricing practices and make any necessary changes. The CMA has asked for a commitment from Asda on our promotional pricing rules and we were happy to provide this. |
| "It's important that customers know that the CMA did not make any findings against Asda, and it hasn't questioned our commitment to every day low prices." | "It's important that customers know that the CMA did not make any findings against Asda, and it hasn't questioned our commitment to every day low prices." |
| The CMA said Asda had been asked to make the changes by August this year - and it would check how those changes were working six months later. | The CMA said Asda had been asked to make the changes by August this year - and it would check how those changes were working six months later. |
| Richard Lloyd, Which? executive director, said: "We are pleased to see the CMA investigation has resulted in Asda taking action to stop misleading special offers. | |
| "Asda has been found breaking the rules and now must immediately clean up their act." |