ASA ruling on online department store

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled against DBZ Marketplace Online Ltd t/a Debenhams in relation to two video display banner adverts on their website.

The first advertisement showed a bed with a green bed frame and white bedding and a label that stated ‘-44%’ and a price of ‘£349.00’ beneath it. A price of ‘£619.00’ was later stated with a black line through it. The second ad featured multiple product images with red discount labels and the discounted prices of each item. The ad also stated, ‘BLUE CROSS CYBER STEALS’ and ‘UP TO 75% OFF’.

In their response to ASA challenging whether the ads were misleading Debenhams stated that they act as an online marketplace for retails to sell and market their products. The products referenced were sold and delivered by third parties and they were responsible for setting the discounted prices. Debenhams also stated that each seller has agreed to their terms and conditions under which they agreed to comply with appliable legislation.

ASA upheld the complaint that the advertisements were misleading on the basis that, as the host site for the offers, Debenhams was responsible for ensuring that they represented a genuine saving. Although ASA had not been provided with the full pricing history, the bed in the first advertisement had been listed at £349 since April 2025 and therefore £619 was unlikely to represent the product’s usual selling price. The hair styling product shown in the second ad to have been priced at £479.99 and reduced to £379 had been listed at the sale price since 22 October 2025.