Customer backed over wine bargain that didn't exist

An irate customer who was told an advertised wine bargain she had driven 50km to take up didn't actually exist has had her complaint upheld.

Northland woman D. Vanderbrink complained to the Advertising Standards Complaints Board after an advertisement by Foodtown and Woolworths supermarkets.

The advertisements, in the Herald, said Jacobs Creek Standard Range 750ml wines were on special for $6.99 in Foodtown and Woolworths supermarkets from Taupo north.

Ms Vanderbrink said she drove 50km to her nearest supermarket in Kaikohe, only for a supermarket staff member to say there was no record of the special on her computer.

Ms Vanderbrink received no reply from customer service after complaining.

"I believe this was gross misleading advertising and in fact fraud," she said in the complaint.

"The petrol alone makes me angry."

Progressive Enterprises, which runs the supermarkets, said the advertised special was genuine but that its instructions were not actioned in Kaikohe. It also regretted that the special was not offered at the shop and that Ms Vanderbrink's calls were not returned.

In a majority decision, the board said the advertisement breached rule 2 of the advertising code of ethics, which says advertisements should not do anything "which directly or by implication, omission, ambiguity or exaggerated claim is misleading or deceptive ... "

Their view was carried over that of a minority of the board, which said the advertisement itself was not misleading and that Ms Vanderbrink's difficulties came from "an honest error of execution".

- NZPA