When Promotions Feel More Like Misleading Marketing
The other day, I picked up a bottle of Tropicana orange juice from Tesco. Nothing unusual in that, except this particular bottle had an eye-catching promotion splashed right on the front. It was clearly designed to catch my attention, as on-pack promotions always are. The product was comfortably within its use by date, so there was no question of me buying something outdated. The main way to enter the promotion was via a QR code.
Being curious, I took a moment to scan it. What did I find? A blunt message on my phone: “Sorry, the promotion has ended.”
Now, that is slippery marketing. Tropicana and Tesco both know the power of an on-pack promotion on buying choices. They know shoppers are time-poor, often rushing to get a meal deal or getting through a crowded supermarket aisle. They know people like me will be influenced by something that looks current and enticing. Yet the promotion was already expired, even though the product was still in date.
Playing the Small Print Game
I am not naive, so I know there was probably some tiny line in 6pt text at the back of the pack saying something like “Promotion ends 31 August 2025”. But here is the problem. Am I really expected to stop in the middle of Tesco, blocking the aisle, to squint at the small print of every single product before I buy it? Of course not. That is totally unrealistic.
Marketers might argue that it is the consumer’s responsibility to “check the details”. In reality, the consumer is being nudged into a decision based on the packaging design and headline messages. Anything beyond that is secondary. And when the lead mechanic of the promotion – in this case, a QR code – is still live but routes you to a dead offer, it feels lazy at best, misleading at worst.
Ethics in Consumer Marketing
This sort of tactic brings up an important ethical point. We are not talking about illegal practices in a strict sense, since the small print covers the brand from a regulatory standpoint. But is it ethical? That is much harder to defend.
Trust is a fragile thing in consumer marketing. A brand like Tropicana trades on an image of freshness, goodness, and transparency. When the experience of buying a bottle is tainted by a disappointing promotion, it chips away at that trust. One cynical shopper at a time, the damage builds.
Retailers like Tesco also have a responsibility here. They could insist that any stock carrying expired promotions is removed from shelves or flagged differently. They might not be legally required to do so, but from a customer experience perspective it shows they care about what shoppers actually feel.
Brand Damage and Consumer Perceptions
I could not help but think about the brand damage caused by this approach. What is gained? Short-term sales, perhaps. On-pack promotions do influence purchase decisions: studies from firms like NielsenIQ often show how promotional mechanics increase volume sales quickly. But at what long-term cost?
When consumers feel disappointed, manipulated, or tricked, they do not forget it. They might not file an official complaint, but they quietly move their loyalty elsewhere. Next time I am faced with options for juice, I might reach for Innocent, or even Tesco’s own brand, rather than repeat a poor experience with Tropicana. That is a marketing own goal.
Why This Matters
Some people might feel I am being pedantic about a minor inconvenience. But grocery shopping is full of small nudges that add up. Brands compete on the finest of margins, and trust in how they present themselves is vital. A poor consumer experience – like being prompted to enter a promotion that is already finished – undermines that.
It is not unrealistic to expect that promotions displayed on packs should either be valid, or the packaging should be rotated off shelves immediately after the mechanic ends. It is not about being a legal stickler. It is about common sense, transparency and respect for the shopper.
If promotions are used to drive sales, fairness must go hand-in-hand. To do otherwise is not just disappointing, it is marketing that risks becoming counterproductive.
References and Further Reading
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