Which? responds to government crackdown on sneaky and confusing pricing practices

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:

"It's encouraging to see the government pressing ahead with plans to clamp down on drip pricing, which can leave consumers feeling ambushed at the checkout by extra fees when buying tickets for concerts or sporting events. Further action may be needed to tackle the range of sneaky pricing tactics used to bump up the advertised price in areas like flight bookings. 

"It's also positive to see more work being done to clamp down on confusing pricing practices, such as a lack of clear and consistent unit pricing in some supermarkets, which has made it difficult for shoppers to find the best value products during the cost of living crisis. This has been a longstanding issue, so it's vital that the government now moves quickly to ensure stores are compelled to make their prices easier to understand.

"Millions of us use online reviews to help us choose a product or service, so it's particularly disappointing to see ministers stop short of criminalising trading and hosting of fake reviews - a necessary step to deter unscrupulous businesses and make online platforms take greater responsibility. Ministers must look again at these proposals if they are to properly protect consumers."

-ENDS-