Tesco Brand Guarantee scheme may face Advertising Standards scrutiny

• Brand Guarantee misleading rivals believe
• Unclear that scheme only applies to big four rivals
• Tagline also unclear, competitors maintain

Competitors say that Brand Guarantee, launched at the start of last week, does not make clear the conditions which apply according to The Telegraph.

Rivals maintain that Brand Guarantee does not make clear that customers only get a refund if they buy more than 10 items and that it only applies against its big four grocery peers rather than retailers more generally.

They also argue that Tesco’s tagline, ‘Never pay more for your branded shop’, does not meet ASA guidelines because the grocer will provide a refund only when the entire branded basket is cheaper elsewhere.

Brand Guarantee is the latest salvo fired by Tesco to win custom following a disastrous year and amid a price war as promiscuous shoppers jump ship to rivals such as Aldi and Lidl.

Tesco’s critics say that Brand Guarantee flouts an ASA ruling that it was responsible for putting in place.

Three years ago Tesco referred Sainsbury’s to the ASA over the latter’s Brand Match scheme and argued that its advertising was misleading.