Category: Advertising
Online hotel booking competition investigation update
First published by Author on October 03, 2019 in the following categories: Advertising Consumer Law Travel and Holidays and tagged with advertising | cma | consumer law | hotels | travel
An update has been issued in the online hotel booking competition investigations being conducted that has been focusing on consumer law.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been looking at the sector since 2017. They launched enforcement action in June 2018 on the basis that a number of hotel booking sites had reportedly been breaking important consumer law. Demands were also made for a number of companies to review their terms and practices to ensure that they’re being fair.
Matters like price guarantees and promises were also referred to the ASA (Advertising Standards Agency) over whether any statements being made were misleading.
Online platforms and digital advertising market study launched
First published by Author on July 18, 2019 in the following categories: Advertising Investigations and tagged with advertising | cma | competition law | market study
This month, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed that a market study has been launched into online platforms and digital advertising.
The CMA has cited their duty to protect consumers in what is a huge and growing digital economy. They want to ensure there’s healthy competition, and ensure that big players in the market are not abusing their powers for their own advantage.
Invitations for comment have been issued with a deadline for responses set for the end of this month.
Viagogo court case steps up
First published by Author on July 11, 2019 in the following categories: Advertising Industry Investigations Latest Pricing Selling Restrictions and tagged with advertising | cma | competition law | investigations | market study | pricing | secondary ticketing
The ongoing Viagogo court case between the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the secondary ticketing website is about to step up.
The CMA are reportedly moving ahead with contempt of court proceedings on the basis that they say Viagogo is still failing to adhere to a court order obtained earlier this year.
This is huge news, and it’s alarming to hear that the CMA considers that the ticketing resellers are still failing to comply with a court order. Following a market sector review, a number of firms changed their behaviours, but it appears that Viagogo isn’t fully complying.
Short-term car lease market review concludes
First published by Author on April 25, 2019 in the following categories: Advertising Industry Pricing and tagged with advertising | cma | investigations | pricing
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been looking into the short-term car lease market since last year, and the investigations have now come to a head.
Last month, the review into the practises of five major car rental companies came to a conclusion. The review had been conducted by the EU Consumer Protection Co-operation Network, which is coordinated by the CMA. Big-name firms have previously agreed to undertakings, and further changes to online booking processes are now set be made.
The review has been a follow-on from the big 2015 action involving Avis-Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and Six. Regulators considered that more could still be done to ensure that some EU-facing websites were complaint with important consumer laws.
Online hotel booking investigation update
First published by Author on March 07, 2019 in the following categories: Advertising Industry Pricing and tagged with advertising | cma | competition law | holiday deals | incentives | investigations | pricing
Here’s the latest in the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) online hotel booking investigation that has been focused on consumer law compliance.
The initial investigation was launched back in October 2017, with enforcement action taken in June 2018. It’s an important one given the breadth of the online hotel booking market, and how confusing it can be. Competition in this key sector should always be healthy, and any infringements of the law cannot go unpunished.
We’re pleased to see that the latest developments in the online hotel booking investigation has seen undertakings agreed by numerous parties involved.
Online dating competition investigation concludes
First published by Author on September 28, 2018 in the following categories: Advertising Compensation Claims and tagged with cma | competition law | online dating
The online dating competition investigation conducted by the CMA has come to a conclusion, with undertakings agreed by Venntro Media Group Limited.
The investigation was launched in October 2017 by the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) over concerns about breaches of consumer protection law. The concerns surrounded advertising, use of consumers’ data and potentially unfair terms and conditions.
Venntro has now agreed to a number of undertakings in order to satisfy the CMA’s concerns and ensure fair competition in the online dating sector.
Amazon adverts under fire for being misleading
First published by Author on June 08, 2018 in the following categories: Advertising Pricing and tagged with advertising | pricing
Amazon adverts have come under fire for being ‘misleading’ in relation to advertised price savings for four electronic products. Each advert reportedly received at least one complaint, and a subsequent investigation by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) reportedly upheld the complaints.
The Amazon adverts in question were for savings of £220 that could be achieved for an LG Smart TV; £193 on a ViewSonic monitor; £300 on an MSI laptop; and £185 on a Philips electronic toothbrush.
Despite protestation from Amazon, the ASA found that there was a lack of evidence to support the advertised savings.