Consumers warned about pseudo sales

Consumer groups warned shoppers to be on their guard against

‘pseudo-sales’, in which prices are inflated just before they are discounted so that the deal looks better than it actually is.

Consumer group Which? has urged shoppers to be vigilant of such tactics and warned them to ‘know their shopping rights for the Boxing Day sales’.

Under Trading Standards rules, pre-sale prices should be the last price at which goods were offered, and the goods should have been at that price for 28 consecutive days in the previous six months.

Some shoppers vented their frustration on social media: "Chelsea Corcoran wrote: ‘The shoes I wanted are more expensive in the sale than they were originally, what?"