95c
ISSUE 30
JUNE 2012
PUBLISHERS OF
News and What’s on information for Normandy and the surrounding area
Supermarkets fined for price promo con by RAY CLANCY
At the court, lawyers for the supermarkets claimed that it was not their fault. They passed the blame on to TWO supermarket giants have been suppliers who decide what would be fined a total of €140,000 for misleadpromoted and at what price. ing shoppers over buy-one-get-oneThe lawyers also said that it could be free products and other promotions in a result of bar codes not being updattheir superstores in Normandy. ed quickly enough, as the supermarCarrefour at Mont-Saint-Aignan, kets have to change prices on a daily Barentin and Tourville-la-Rivière basis to keep up with their competiwere fined a total of €100,000. Leclerc tors and to take prowas fined €30,000 at motions into account. Yvetot and €10,000 at However, UFC Que Rouen Saint-Sever. Choisir pointed out The steep fines were that other stores in Le handed out for what Consumers need Havre and Dieppe that the court in Rouen were previously fined heard were “misleading to be aware that for similar practices commercial practices” these promotions had put new systems in after the consumer pro- may not be a place to avoid misleadtection body DDPP in ing shoppers. The the Seine-Maritime good deal group said that out of found that in eight out UFC Que Choisir 25 shops checked in the of 10 cases examined, it department, only nine was possible to buy the had put in place such systems. same products cheaper without the UFC Que Choisir’s Rouen president, promotion. Danielle Gale, said: “Consumers need The DDPP looked in particular at a to be aware that these promotions may number of promotions in stores, not be a good deal. They should look including sliced ham, taboulé, soft carefully at the offer and look at the drinks, motor oil and dried dog food. price of individual items and then It is a growing practice in supermardecide if it is worth it.” kets throughout France to offer special promotions such as buy three and get one free, or six slices for the price of M 05198 - 30 - F: 0,95 E four. However, it is often cheaper to buy products individually, according to the consumer organisation UFC Que Choisir.
‘Absolutely stunning’
“
3:HIKPLJ=]UU^ZX:?a@a@n@a@k;
Full story
Page 3
Visitors’ reaction to the Mont Saint Michel changes
Send international money transfers the easy way. Your high street bank offers foreign exchange as part of its service. At HiFX, foreign exchange is our business.
¸ Bank beating exchange rates online or over the phone ¸ Track payments 24 hours a day ¸ Transfer from as little as £50 ¸ VeriSign security used by 97 of the World’s top 100 banks
Don’t let the banks cash in. www.hifx.co.uk