ITC Changes Ad Code

The Independent Television Commission has revised its Code of Advertising Standards and Practice to require advertisers to indicate the total price of goods which are to be paid by instalments. The change to the price claims rule takes immediate effect.

The ITC believes that showing on-screen the full price payable for goods when paying by instalments will “avoid the potential for misleadingness.” There had been examples where the instalment price was shown as the dominant on-screen element, with copy (of varying degrees of clarity) showing that the price was the instalment price only. Viewers often had to calculate the total price themselves or assume the frequency of instalments.

The new rule reflects advice in the DTI’s Code of Practice for Traders on Price Instalments. The ITC consulted publicly on the proposed change and took account of the views of the Advertising Advisory Committee.

ITC: 0171 255 3000