A brand known for selling bed-in-a-box products is under investigation by the competition watchdog. Emma Sleep is the subject of a probe over concerns that it has misled consumers with pressure-selling tactics.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it will examine whether the firm breached consumer law by using countdown timers and claims about time limits to misleadingly imply that discounted prices would soon end. The CMA said the investigation is the start of enforcement focusing on so-called Online Choice Architecture to tackle potentially harmful online sales practices, including pressure selling tactics such as urgent time-limited claims.
These include countdown clocks, where sellers put pressure on shoppers to buy quickly, and eye-catching discount offers such as “50% off” claims when the real price reduction may not be as great as claimed. Earlier this year, the watchdog revealed that 71% of people shopping online have encountered misleading selling tactics.
