The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint against Premier Inn.
- Premier Inn advertised £35 rooms, but few were actually available at that price.
- A customer’s complaint led to the investigation into the advert’s validity.
- The ASA ruled that the advertising breached consumer protection rules.
- Premier Inn has been instructed to amend future advertising to reflect actual availability.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a complaint against Premier Inn regarding its claim of offering room rates ‘from £35’ at its Edinburgh location. The ASA concluded that the advertisement was misleading after a customer reported being unable to find rooms at the advertised price. Premier Inn, owned by Whitbread, advertised the budget rate, leading consumers to believe that such prices were widely available, which was not the case.
The complaint arose when a consumer challenged the accuracy of the promotion, causing the ASA to scrutinise the evidence provided by Premier Inn. It was revealed that only a limited number of days actually had rooms available at the £35 rate, failing to meet consumer expectations set by the advertisement. Despite Premier Inn’s claim that there were 377 nights available at this rate, the ASA determined that the proportion was inadequate to support the advertised promise.
The ASA’s decision to uphold the complaint underscores its commitment to consumer protection. It emphasised that advertising claims must be substantiated and must not mislead consumers. The ASA remarked that consumers might interpret the advertisement as indicating a significant proportion of yearly availability at such rates, which was not reflected in the data provided by Premier Inn.
In response, Premier Inn asserted that they are committed to responsible advertising and had, in fact, removed the contentious claim while investigations were ongoing. The company highlighted its measures, such as training in responsible advertising practices, to ensure accuracy in its promotional materials. However, the ASA’s directive was clear: future advertisements must ensure that ‘from’ price claims are representative of the actual availability to avoid similar issues.
The ASA’s ruling mandates Premier Inn to adjust its advertising strategies to ensure transparency.
