Furniture stores could be exploiting hard-up households

Furniture stores could be exploiting hard-up households says Citizens Advice after the OFT opened investigations into six high street stores for misleading reference pricing.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy said:

“If stores are using fake prices they are exploiting hard-up households by misleading them on what is a good deal. With household finances under enormous pressure, many people will be saving hard and thinking carefully about any new furniture they need to buy. A cut-price offer can be more appealing as people believe they are getting more for less.  Yet it is an unfair deal if the offer is bogus.

“It should be the core value of every business that they’re treating their customers fairly and making sure people are actually getting what they pay for.”

Notes to editors:

  1. The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, the Citizens Advice consumer service and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more see the Citizens Advice website .

  2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.

  3. To find your local bureau in England and Wales, visit citizensadvice.org.uk . You can also get advice online at adviceguide.org.uk

  4. You can get consumer advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 or 03454 04 05 05 for Welsh language speakers

  5. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.3 million clients on 5.4 million problems from October 2013 to September 2014. For full 2013/2014  service statistics see our quarterly publication Advice trends

  6. Citizens Advice service staff are supported by more than 21,000 trained volunteers, working at over 3,000 service outlets across England and Wales.