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Illegal to put 'Only' beside shop prices?

  • 01-10-2020 10:18am
    #1
    Smiles35
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,749 ✭✭✭


    Awhile ago I noticed 'Only' being put beside price advertisment prices. 'Only 1.99. 'Only 1.49' .ect I was sure it was illiegal to put 'only' beside prices. I wrote to consumer affairs and I was told it was never illegal.



    I was so sure it was, I want to have another go at this to put this to bed in my mind. Was it illegal?


Comments

  • #2
    Atlantic Dawn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 84,762 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    What grounds would it be illegal?


  • #3
    Smiles35
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,749 ✭✭✭Smiles35


    Atlantic Dawn wrote: »
    What grounds would it be illegal?


    I took it to be a stand against misleading the consumer.


  • #4
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,186 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Smiles35 wrote: »
    I took it to be a stand against misleading the consumer.

    How does it mislead the consumer?


  • #5
    Smiles35
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,749 ✭✭✭Smiles35


    L1011 wrote: »
    How does it mislead the consumer?


    As far as I'm concerned, It was a law on the books. I'm trying to find out if it was. I'm not interested in the motives or thinking behind it so much.


  • #6
    silent_spark
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 461 ✭✭silent_spark


    Are you thinking of airline and holiday advertising, which often used to be advertised without mentioning the additional taxes and fees?


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  • #7
    coylemj
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,624 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Smiles35 wrote: »
    As far as I'm concerned, It was a law on the books. I'm trying to find out if it was. I'm not interested in the motives or thinking behind it so much.

    It's impossible to legislate in that area. Consumers can spot advertising hyperbole when they see it. The nanny state would be here in spades if retailers couldn't use harmless descriptors in the window display to attract attention.

    And 'only 2.99' is surely at the lowest end of the spectrum.

    Give it up.


  • #8
    28064212
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    Smiles35 wrote: »
    As far as I'm concerned, It was a law on the books. I'm trying to find out if it was. I'm not interested in the motives or thinking behind it so much.
    It wasn't. Aside from anything else, the law would never be so prescriptive as to ban a single word. Say there was such a law banning "Only" - why would every retailer not immediately switch to using "Just"?

    There could be an offence if the retailer advertised "Only 1.49" and the price was actually 1.75, but the offence is not due to the use of the word "Only"

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  • #9
    Victor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78,580 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    28064212 wrote: »
    It wasn't. Aside from anything else, the law would never be so prescriptive as to ban a single word. Say there was such a law banning "Only" - why would every retailer not immediately switch to using "Just"?
    The phrase "... and cognate words ..." comes to mind.


  • #10
    Cheensbo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,704 ✭✭✭Cheensbo


    Smiles35 wrote: »
    Awhile ago I noticed 'Only' being put beside price advertisment prices. 'Only 1.99. 'Only 1.49' .ect I was sure it was illiegal to put 'only' beside prices. I wrote to consumer affairs and I was told it was never illegal.



    I was so sure it was, I want to have another go at this to put this to bed in my mind. Was it illegal?


    Are you mixing yourself up?

    do you mean something that says: "Was 9.99, now only 8.99" when it was never 9.99 in the first place? That would be false advertisement alright.


  • #11
    Jade2015
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37 ✭Jade2015


    Is is not illegal now to spell etc. as ect:D


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  • #12
    Samuel T. Cogley
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    The only thing I can think you might be thinking of is misleading sale prices. For example was €1,000,000 now €9.99.


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