Sale prices and urgency, checked.
Most sales lean on the same five tactics: 'was' prices, countdowns, checkout fees, 'up to' headlines and 'only 2 left'. We've checked whether each one works, what the evidence says, where the law draws the line, and whether a small shop is the kind of business the regulator goes after, while there's still time to plan your sale.
The series
The 6 claims, and our verdicts
A 'was' price makes a sale sell better.
True, and only a genuine one is legal
The CMA's review of the research says a reference price raises how much shoppers value an offer and their intention to buy. That is why one that misleads about the saving can break consumer law.
Read the pieceA countdown timer makes people buy.
Partly true: it can hurry a sale, and a false one is banned
The CMA's evidence review finds that limiting how long a promotion runs can speed up purchases, with an effect that depends on context. A countdown that resets instead of ending the offer is a banned practice.
Read the pieceAdding the booking fee at checkout sells more than showing it upfront.
True, and the CMA says it is illegal
The CMA's evidence review says research has consistently found that drip pricing makes people more likely to buy and less likely to shop around. The CMA also says hiding unavoidable fees until later is illegal.
Read the pieceA big 'up to' figure pulls more people into the sale.
Partly true: framing works, but the figure must be fair
Research reported by the CMA finds that how a price is framed has a powerful effect, and we found no study of 'up to' headlines in particular. The ad code bars an 'up to' claim that exaggerates how many items carry the top saving.
Read the piece'Only 2 left' and '12 people are looking' messages make people buy.
Partly true: they can, and only a true one is legal
The CMA's evidence review says scarcity claims can make people more likely to buy, and that the evidence on which kinds work is mixed. A false stock warning can break UK law, and even a true one misleads if there is no real need to hurry.
Read the pieceA small shop can risk these tactics: the CMA only goes after big companies.
Partly true, and no reassurance
None of the 41 consumer enforcement cases the CMA lists as updated since 2022 is against a small independent shop. The law still applies to every business, Trading Standards enforce it too, and most banned practices are crimes.
Read the piece
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