Sainsbury‘s will take Tesco to the high court over its Price Promise ad as the row between the two biggest British supermarkets continues.
The grocer, who operate over 1,106 supermarkets and convenience stores, says it will fight for customers‘ rights to make shopping decisions based on ‘all relevant factors‘ including ethic, provenance and price.
The Judicial Review is a reaction to the findings of the ASA‘s Independent Reviewer, Sir Hayden Philips, who said in his recent review of the case that while Sainsbury‘s had made a “persuasive case” that customers increasingly place value on provenance and other ethical issues, the ASA had in his view followed the correct process.
Sainsbury‘s Commercial Director Mike Coupe said it was time to take a stand on behalf of the huge majority or customers who want to be able to make fair comparisons when they shop.
“More than ever, customers want to be able to let their values guide them and in price-matching its products with ours Tesco is, when it sees fit, choosing to ignore factors such as ethical or provenance certification or even country of origin,” he said. “We think that‘s wrong and we‘re pretty sure our customers do too.”
Sainsbury‘s originally challenged Tesco in the ASA over the Price Promise scheme, in which Sainsbury‘s claimed Tesco match products such as its Everyday Value Tea, which is not Fairtrade, with Sainsbury‘s basics tea, which is.
In a statement, the grocer said it will also question Tesco‘s policy of including only the product characteristics it sees fit to include in Price Match – factors that vary from line to line depending on what ‘seems to suit Tesco best‘.
