Big stores shopped on teaser ads

Supermarkets advertising products at sale prices must ensure they deliver on the promise, says the Advertising Standards Complaints Board.

Two separate complaints about mailbox flyers advertising bargains at Countdown and Woolworths have been upheld by the board.

In both cases, the flyers advertised products at sale prices, noting only limited stocks would be available.

Both flyers were produced by owner Progressive Enterprises.

In each case, the complainant went to the supermarket the next day to be told they were already sold out of the product, despite the sale week having only just begun.

The board said the effect of the false advertising would be to encourage extra foot traffic to the supermarkets.

The first complaint related to two flyers released in June, advertising a product in Countdown and Woolworths. The Christchurch complainant went to Countdown a day after the week-long sale began, to be told it had sold out.

The second, also from a Christchurch consumer, was an identical tale relating to a Home Choice frypan.

Progressive argued a mistake had been made by the staff in both cases.

But the board upheld both complaints, saying the advertisements breached rule 2 of the Code of Ethics - they should not have "deceptive or misleading" statements.

- NZPA