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Aldi’s ‘Cheapest Christmas Dinner’ Advert Found To Be Misleading

By Nithya Bose in Business News, posted March 22, 2024

The Advertising Standards Authority has found an Aldi advert claiming it offered "Britain's cheapest Christmas dinner" to be misleading.

Retail Gazette reports this verdict came after Sainsbury’s contested the accuracy of the ad.

It was based on a Which? comparison suggesting Aldi's festive meal cost was over 20 percent less than Sainsbury’s.

The ad, published on December 6, displayed comparative prices from both supermarkets, suggesting significant savings at Aldi.

However, this comparison only involved seven supermarkets.

It did not reflect the likely prices during the crucial period before Christmas when most shoppers buy their holiday ingredients.

Sainsbury’s argued timing of the price comparison (November 6-27) did not accurately represent the cost of fresh produce when consumers would actually be making their purchases.

The ASA sided with Sainsbury’s.

It pointed out the ad could mislead consumers into believing Aldi's prices were the lowest among all UK grocers, not just the seven compared.

The Which? report cited by Aldi also showed only a marginal price difference between Aldi and Lidl.

Which?: "Consumers should not be subjected to potentially misleading advertising and it is right that the regulator is holding Aldi to account"

The companies have both received awards for their low prices, thus challenging Aldi's claim of unmatched affordability.

The ASA comparing prices to seven supermarkets and the negligible price difference between Aldi and Lidl, could influence consumer decisions.

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Factors like store proximity and transportation costs also play essential roles in where consumers choose to shop.

It was suggested the ad did not fully account for these aspects.

A spokeswoman for Aldi said: “We are disappointed that the ASA has upheld this complaint based on an advertising technicality, but we remain confident that customers will make significant savings every time they shop with Aldi.”

A spokesman for the Which? said: “We support this decision by the ASA: consumers should not be subjected to potentially misleading advertising and it is right that the regulator is holding Aldi to account.

“We are disappointed that a Which? endorsement logo and our research was used in an advert that has broken the regulator’s rules on marketing and we have sought assurances from Aldi that it will not happen again.

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