Ryanair’s “Misleading” Ad Violates Advertising Standards Authority Code

A recent decision by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has found a Ryanair advertisement to be misleading. This determination came from the ASA’s independent complaints council, which identified the airline’s promotion as one of nine ads breaching its advertising code.

The complaint centered around a banner ad on the Ryanair website promoting a “big summer sale.” This advertisement included a prominent statement marked in a red circle, declaring, “prices will rise.” This message suggested that consumers would face higher fares if they failed to book flights at the sale prices. A complainant argued that this statement was misleading, noting that some fares actually decreased following the sale. They highlighted that a flight purchased during the sale was cheaper the following month.

In its defense, Ryanair indicated that the promotion, which ran from December 2023 to January 2024, was subject to availability. The airline explained that the lowest fares were limited and quickly sold out. Adjustments to prices, based on sales and customer demand, are common in the airline industry due to its dynamic pricing model. Ryanair stated, “Adjusting fares due to demand actually increased the customers’ access to low fares as it meant we could offer fares at competitive rates.”

Despite Ryanair’s assertions, the council noted that the advertisement’s claim “prices will rise” lacked a clear time frame for when these increases would occur. The council concluded that it was reasonable for consumers to assume that fares would increase after the sale rather than decrease. It observed that the statement created a sense of urgency for customers, likely prompting them to purchase flights immediately based on this impression.

As a result, the council ruled that Ryanair’s advertisement was misleading and in breach of three sections of the ASA code. The airline, led by Chief Executive Michael O’Leary, has been instructed to remove the ad from circulation in its current form.

This finding was part of a broader review by the ASA, which included seven other advertisements across various platforms such as radio, television, and social media that were also deemed in breach of the code. One notable case involved Lidl, which faced scrutiny over a claim on its Instagram account stating it was “Ireland’s best-value supermarket.” Rival supermarket Aldi objected, arguing that the claim implied Lidl had received an independent award.

In response, Lidl maintained that the claim could be substantiated using data from the Ireland RepTrak 2024 study, which reflects the perceptions of over 5,000 individuals. Lidl later amended its advertising campaign to include this data. Nonetheless, the council determined that a claim of being the best value required detailed price comparisons with competitors, which Lidl had not provided. The assertion that Lidl was “Ireland’s Best Value Supermarket,” displayed in a rosette format typically associated with awards, was also considered misleading.

Other complaints upheld by the council involved advertisements for Dacia cars, BPerfect Cosmetics, and Shamrock Renewable Products. Conversely, a complaint against an advertisement for Energia was dismissed.

This ruling underscores the importance of transparency in advertising and holds companies accountable for claims that may mislead consumers.