Consumer watchdog warns shops’ “yes please” offers may mislead

Some “yes please” offers may constitute misleading marketing because they do not always provide genuine savings, the Danish Consumer Ombudsman said in a press release, according to DR.

The offers are particularly common in the grocery sector’s social media marketing. Consumers are asked to comment “yes please” to reserve a specific product at a special price.

Consumer Ombudsman Torben Jensen said such offers could prompt consumers to act quickly because they believe they are saving money. If they could have bought the product at the same price without responding to the offer, the marketing may be misleading, he said.

The press release cites an offer for three Danish pork tenderloins at 99.95 kroner, with consumers told to comment “Yes please, one item” to place an order.

However, the supermarket behind the unnamed post advertised the same offer at exactly the same price in its newspaper, where it was available for several days. Consumers could therefore buy the products at the same low price without responding in the comment section.

Offers must be transparent and easy for consumers to understand, Jensen said. He urged businesses to advertise “yes please” offers only when consumers can buy the product at the stated price exclusively by responding to the advertisement.