Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

Dell has been told to modify its printer advertising after a customer complaint was upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The advert failed to mention the need for a printer cable that was not included.

The ASA has ordered Dell to change its printer advertising to make it clear that printers do not come with cables. Cables for a £59 Dell printer cost around £14 and therefore are a significant cost in the context of the printer price, said the ASA.

A newspaper advert showcased a printer which a customer bought. No cable came with the printer which could connect it to the customer's computer, so that customer made a complaint.

The ASA upheld the complaint, saying that the advert breached the 'truthfulness' clause of its Code.

"We noted that it was essential to have a cable to use the printer and that a cable was likely to cost approximately £14," said the ruling. "We considered this was a significant cost in relation to the price of the printer. We considered the ad gave the impression that the printer could be used in conjunction with a computer without the purchase of any further equipment and that the natural expectation among customers was that a cable would be included in the advertised price unless the ad specifically stated that it was not."

"The ad breached CAP Code clause 7.1 (Truthfulness). We told Dell to ensure their ads stated that cables were not included in the advertised prices for printers in future, if that was the case," said the ASA.

Dell had said that it did not supply cables because it believed that most customers were likely to have their own cable already and would not want a new one.

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