UK: The Advertising Standards Authority has told Eurostar that a significant proportion of seats must be available at the highlighted price when it uses ‘from’ prices in advertising.
The ASA ruling on January 3 follows a complaint by someone who received a promotional e-mail in July 2023 with large text stating ‘from just £39 each way’.
The complainant was only able to find one ticket from London to Paris at the advertised price, and challenged whether the claim in the advert was misleading.
Eurostar said 39 000 seats had been available at the advertised ‘from’ price across the routes mentioned.
ASA considered that consumers would understand the claim ‘treat yourself to a European getaway from just £39 each way […] with a summer getaway in August or September’ to mean that a significant proportion of fares to the advertised destinations of Paris, Brussels or Lille would be available to purchase at £39 throughout August and September. ASA also considered that consumers would expect to find the tickets available at the ’from’ price across a range of dates and times within that period, and that they would have a reasonable chance of obtaining a seat at the advertised price.
ASA acknowledged that the terms and conditions stated the number of seats available and that they were subject to availability. However, it considered that a significant proportion of tickets had not been available at the ‘from’ price, and concluded that the advert breached the Committees of Advertising Practice code on misleading advertising and prices.
Eurostar told Rail Business UK ‘we understand and take onboard’ the ASA’s ruling, and it is ’committed to ensuring that this scenario does not occur again’.
