Co-op’s price-match comparisons with Aldi misled consumers, watchdog rules

A Co-op website advertising the grocer’s price-match scheme with Aldi has been ruled misleading for failing to compare similar products.

Aldi handed the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) a list of 45 items, used by the Co-op in an ad for its price-match scheme in August, which it did not believe were the most appropriate for comparison.

The ad stated “Everyday Essentials price matched to Aldi”, adding in smaller text: “We match the prices of certain Co-op products against comparable products available at Aldi.”

The ASA found there were products included in the scheme that were an exact match both in terms of the product’s variant and size, such as Co-op’s Seeded Loaf, Tiger Bloomer, White Toastie Loaf and Wholemeal Loaf.

However, certain products had been matched to similar alternatives where no identical product was sold at Aldi, such as Co-op’s Linguini Pasta with Aldi’s Cucina Spaghetti, Co-op’s Summer Fruits Flavoured Still Spring Water with Aldi’s Apple & Blackcurrant Flavoured Still Water and Co-op Meaty Chunks in Jelly with Turkey with Aldi’s Earls Meaty Chunks with Chicken in Jelly.

The ASA also found that in some cases, products were compared with a less similar alternative despite a nearer match being sold by Aldi, such as Co-op matching their Wholemeal Farmhouse Loaf with an Aldi White Farmhouse Loaf.

Co-op said that Aldi did not sell a Wholemeal Farmhouse Loaf, and they believed that the bread being a “farmhouse” style was a more significant feature than the loaf being wholemeal.

The ASA said: “We considered that consumers would understand the prices to be matched against the same products sold by both stores, or, for those who had read the small text at the bottom of the ad, that on the occasion the same product was not sold, the nearest comparable individual product would be selected for comparison.

“However, because Aldi’s nearest comparable individual product had not always been selected by Co-op for inclusion in the price match, and because no sufficiently prominent information was provided or adequately signposted to explain how products were deemed ‘comparable’, and to verify the claim, we concluded that the basis of the comparison had not been made clear and that the ad was therefore misleading.”

A Co-op spokesman said: “We ensure the product comparisons utilised in our Aldi price-match offer are presented clearly on our website to enable shoppers to easily verify the matches.

“In response to the ruling, we have now made changes to our T&Cs online.”

Which? retail editor Reena Sewraz said: “Aldi almost always comes out as the cheapest supermarket in our monthly pricing analysis, so price-match schemes can sound like a win for shoppers, especially for those who don’t have an Aldi nearby or prefer to shop elsewhere.

“But this ASA ruling underlines why price-match claims should be treated with caution. Previous Which? research found that some price-matched products weren’t like-for-like on ingredients, quality or pack size.

“Shoppers shouldn’t assume a price match guarantees the same product or the best value – it pays to look beyond the label and check what you’re really getting.”