Retailers' 'Yes Please' Offers May Mislead Consumers, Warns Danish Ombudsman

Retailers' "yes please" offers, frequently advertised on social media, may be misleading consumers, according to Denmark's Consumer Ombudsman. These promotions encourage customers to comment "yes please" on social media posts to secure a particular item at a special price. However, the Consumer Ombudsman, Torben Jensen, warns that these offers are only legitimate if there are genuine savings involved. If consumers can purchase the item at the same price without engaging in the "yes please" offer, it constitutes misleading marketing. Jensen explained, "Since the price and the prospect of a possible saving are an important parameter for many consumers when shopping, 'yes please' offers can make consumers hurry to say 'yes please' to an offer in the belief that they are saving money." He further elaborated that if the item was available at the same price without the "yes please" condition, it could be considered a misrepresentation. The Consumer Ombudsman cited an example where a supermarket advertised "Danish - 3 pieces of pork tenderloin - only 99.95 kroner. You order by commenting 'Yes please 1 pc.' under the post." However, the supermarket offered the exact same deal in its newspaper advertisement, valid for several days, meaning consumers could buy the pork tenderloin at the same low price without needing to comment on social media. "Offers must be transparent and understandable for consumers, and naturally, there must be real savings to be made," Jensen stated. He urged all businesses to only advertise "yes please" offers if consumers can exclusively obtain the item at that specific price by responding to these ads.

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Since the price and the prospect of a possible saving are an important parameter for many consumers when shopping, 'yes please' offers can make consumers hurry to say 'yes please' to an offer in the belief that they are saving money.