Simba given September deadline over pricing after telling CMA it ‘already meets rules’

Simba Sleep has been given a September deadline to ensure its processes over the pricing of online discounts are fully up and running.

The mattress in a box brand saw a seven month investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority into its use of ‘was’ prices and countdown clocks.

The company says that it is already in compliance with its commitments to the CMA but has until 9 September to ensure its internal compliance processes are in place, and fully operational.

It has agreed that it will ‘ensure any “was” price is genuine – in other words, that they actually sell a sufficient volume of the product at that price before using it as a “was” price.

On countdown clocks it has agreed that ‘any countdown clocks used on its websites are clear; specify prominently which products they apply to; and do not give consumers a false impression that they must act quickly – or that when the clock ends the product will revert to the “was” price – if this is not the case.’

‘With increasing living costs adding pressure to household budgets, more of us are looking for bargains online when shopping for home essentials and expensive purchases like a mattress. Companies that use potentially unfair tactics to sell products – including misleading countdown clocks and false pricing claims – risk pressuring customers into making purchases in haste and could be getting an unfair advantage over fair-dealing firms. This agreement means a better shopping experience for Simba Sleep customers – but it’s now time for other traders in the mattress sector to take note and ensure their practices comply with consumer law,’ says Hayley Fletcher, CMA interim senior director of consumer protection.

The CMA previously notified Emma Group that unless it commits to making changes to its practices, it will launch court action.

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