ASA censures Groupon again over deal price

VOUCHER deal website Groupon has been issued with a reprimand from the Advertising Standards Authority over a teeth whitening deal that claimed to offer a discount of 75 per cent.

The ASA made the ruling against the voucher website firm Groupon today after a consumer complained that the original value of the teeth whitening treatment – £350 – had been exaggerated. The voucher website was offering the product for £89.

In the ruling, the ASA asked the firm to produce a document proving that the company, Smart Smile, had previously charged £350 for the service.

But it claimed the document did not satisfy their concerns. An ASA spokesman said: “It was not clear from the document whether a transaction had been made for £350 by a customer.”

Earlier this year, Groupon was reprimanded by the ASA for advertising a number of other products on its website which could not actually be purchased at the marked price. In June, it was deemed that the ASA had insufficient evidence to prove that a £24 offer for eyelash extensions was worth £90.