NCA publishes retail guidelines on sale items

The National Consumer Agency (NCA) is seeking submissions from the retail sector on a list of draft guidelines on advertising price discounts which it published this morning.

Amongst the areas covered by the NCA document are guidelines on how long an item should be on sale at a higher price before retailers can advertise it at a reduced price, the need to avoid aggressive selling of extended guarantees and advertising of "special lines" specifically purchased to supplement sale stock.

The guidelines are not legally binding but the NCA said they would have recognised status under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) 2007 and could be admitted as evidence in court proceedings.

The NCA expressed the hope that when the guidelines are adopted, they will help traders to better appreciate their obligations to provide unambiguous information to consumers, give clarity on certain aspects of the CPA and provide a basis for a fairer and more evenly balanced approach towards advertising throughout the sector.

"The draft guidelines are intended to ensure that consumers are dealt with fairly by traders and that advertisements and promotions are not misleading," NCA chief executive Ann Fitzgerald said. "It is important that all sections of the retail sector buy into these guidelines to ensure that they fully meet their obligations to consumers".

The draft guidelines are available on www.nca.ie. Views should be emailed to consultations@nca.ie no later than October 6th.