Discount deal sites breach fair trading

Published on 25/06/2012 02:14

Warning letters have been sent to 35 discount websites telling them to review their practices, the consumer watchdog has said.

The action follows the Office of Fair Trading’s investigation into Groupon – the discount voucher site with about one million subscribers – that found many of its practices potentially breached consumer regulations.

Groupon was given three months to overhaul its business and has now satisfied the regulator with its changes.

However, the OFT has turned its attention to other sites. It says many deals carry restrictions on when they can be claimed, while others appear to be “time limited” when in fact they are available for longer, pushing consumers into rash decisions.