Be wise when you advertise

The ‘Advertising and Price Compliance’ course, set to take place on Tuesday 12th March, explores the legal and regulatory framework which applies to advertising with emphasis on self-regulation via the Committee of Advertising Practice’s (CAP) codes and the role of the Advertising Standards Authority and their decisions.  ekonglong furniture

The course looks specifically at price advertising, with examples of a variety of price promotions and how the legislative and regulatory framework applies to these. It is aimed at senior operations and supply chain managers, ecommerce and marketing and owners or directors of small businesses.

Judith Turner, senior adjudicator for The Furniture Ombudsman, who runs the course, said: “This can be a very confusing area for many businesses, but there are serious consequences if your advertising or pricing contravenes the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.

“If an advert makes a claim that is misleading, it takes only one consumer to make a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) before they decide to investigate. The ASA can withdraw your advert, which in itself could prove very costly. However, if Trading Standards become involved, they can impose a fine of up to £5,000 and, as the ultimate sanction permitted by the law, up to two years in prison.

“We aim to simply explain the codes that should be adhered to when advertising and use industry specific case studies as a way of demonstrating the type of issues that can occur. We want to ensure that businesses understand the law and know where to get help when they need it. When you consider the potential cost of getting it wrong, this course is a very good investment for any business.”

From the course you will get an understanding of:
• The legal and regulatory framework relating to advertising
• Self-regulations including the CAP (non-broadcasting) and BCAP (broadcasting) Codes
• Price advertising
• How the legislative and regulatory framework applies to: price comparisons, RRP, special purchases/sales; free offers; lowest price claims and price promises; value promotions; loss-leading; vouchers and coupons
• Case law and ASA decisions
• Potential pitfalls and ways to manage risk