Background
Nectar Sleep Ltd breaks UK advertising rules by making misleading savings claims and failing to make the basis of its savings claims clear on its website www.nectarsleep.co.uk/
The ASA investigated whether the basis of the "Similar Brands Average Prices" comparison and the associated savings claims were clear and whether they were misleading.
In its ruling, the ASA acknowledged that the "Similar Brands Average Price" figure for each mattress was calculated using the average selling price of only three competitor products that Nectar Sleep Ltd considered comparable. Therefore, a number of competitors were excluded from the comparison. Also, because consumers could not actually purchase a competing product at that price, the ASA considered that the claimed saving of 65% was not based on an established and genuinely available reference price.
The ASA also considered that references to a "Nectar price drop" and "lowest prices ever" would lead consumers to believe that the savings related to reductions in Nectar Sleep Ltd's own usual selling prices, and that the qualification "Similar Brands Average Prices" was insufficiently clear to correct that impression.
Because consumers were likely to understand the claim "save up to 65%" as a genuine saving against Nectar Sleep Ltd's usual selling prices, when in fact it was based on a comparison with an average of selected competitors' prices, the ASA concluded that the advertisement was misleading.
Although the current savings claim on the website is now 40% rather than 65%, the comparative basis of the claim remains misleading. Further, the use of a "Similar Brands Average Price" comparator, together with references to "Huge Savings" and "up to" savings, is likely to continue misleading consumers about the nature of the savings being offered.
The CAP Compliance team contacted Nectar Sleep Ltd but, in the absence of an assurance that the website would be amended, decided on 15 September 2026 to place the company's details on this section of the ASA website. Those details will remain in place until Nectar Sleep Ltd amends www.nectarsleep.co.uk to comply with the CAP Code.
