Argos warns shoppers about possible Brexit price rises

Argos, owned by Sainsbury’s, flagged the possibility on the first page of its Christmas catalogue.

Argos told customers: “At the time of printing we intend to maintain our prices at or below the printed price, however, given the uncertainty around the UK leaving the EU we reserve the right to change our prices.”

Shoppers were advised to check prices online before visiting a store to buy an item.

Argos has frequently changed catalogue prices in the past but they would typically have been reduced to ensure it was not undercut by rivals on well-known brands.

The cautionary message is thought to be the first time a retailer has so explicitly warned in writing of Brexit-induced inflationary pressures.

The Argos catalogue covers the period from October 16 to December 24, so it would have been produced when Boris Johnson still intended to take the UK out of the EU on October 31, whether or not a Brexit deal had been struck.

The date of Brexit has now been pushed back and a general election called, so it is unclear the extent to which Argos’s price warning still holds.

No comment was immediately available from the retailer.

Argos today became the first major retailer to unveil its Christmas advert, which put the print catalogue centre-stage – popularised as ‘the Book of Dreams – for the first time in a decade.