How to spot a fake discount in the UK
A big red "50% off" label is designed to make you stop thinking and start buying. Most UK retailers play fair, but some discounts are measured against a price that hardly anyone ever paid. This guide shows you how to check a deal in a few minutes before you hand over your money.
What a "was" price is supposed to mean
When a retailer shows a "was" price, it is comparing today's price with its own earlier price. Official pricing guidance for UK traders says that comparison should be genuine: the higher price should be a recent price that the item was actually on sale at for a meaningful period, and generally for longer than the sale price runs. If a product sat at the higher price for a few days just before a big sale, the saving may look much bigger than it really is.
Since 6 April 2025 the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 has been the main UK law on unfair commercial practices. Misleading people about the price or the size of a saving can be unfair under the Act, and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) can now fine businesses directly when it finds a breach.
RRP is not the same as "was"
RRP means recommended retail price. It is a figure suggested by the manufacturer, and many shops never charge it. A saving against RRP tells you very little about whether the price today is good. Treat "Save £100 on RRP" as marketing until you have checked what the item usually sells for.
Five checks before you buy
- Look at the price history. For many products you can see a chart of the price over the last few months. If today's "deal" price is the normal price, it is not a deal. Our guide to how price history works explains what to look for.
- Compare at least two other retailers. Search the exact product name. If two other shops sell it for the same money without a "sale" badge, the discount is not special.
- Check the exact model number. Some products, especially TVs and laptops, come in versions that differ by a letter or two in the model number. A cheap version may have a different processor, less storage or fewer ports than the one in the reviews.
- Ignore pressure tactics. Countdown timers, "only 2 left" and "15 people are looking at this" are designed to rush you. A genuinely good price will usually come round again.
- Add up the final price. Delivery, installation, removal of an old appliance and extended warranties can turn a deal into an average price. Compulsory fees that only appear at the last step (often called drip pricing) are treated as an unfair practice under UK law.
Black Friday deserves extra suspicion
Consumer group Which? has repeatedly found that many products in Black Friday sales were the same price or cheaper at other points in the year. That does not mean Black Friday is never worth it, but it does mean you should check the price history before you buy, rather than trusting the badge.
How Price Pylon handles "was" prices
Every deal we post shows the price now, the retailer's stated usual price and the date we checked it on the retailer's own page. When a deal ends we mark it as expired and switch off the button, so you are not sent to a price that no longer exists.
If you think a discount was misleading
- Contact the retailer first and explain why you think the saving was not genuine.
- For advice, contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133. It can pass reports to Trading Standards.
- If you paid by credit card and the purchase cost between £100 and £30,000, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act may help if something goes wrong with the purchase.