Morrisons has been ordered to pull an advert after complaints that its price comparison with rival supermarket chains was “misleading” were upheld.

The press advert claimed that a trolley load of products from Morrisons could be bought for £30.82, while like-for-like goods cost £50.30 at Asda, £57.47 at Tesco and £54.73 at Sainsbury’s.

However, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the comparison was “misleading” because it did not make clear that while Morrisons’ prices were promotional, those of its rivals were “everyday prices”.

The suggestion that the supermarket was cheaper than rival stores were “therefore misleading”, said ASA, and ordered that the advert should not appear again.

In its defence, Morrisons said that the campaign did not “attempt to mislead or deceive the public” or portray a “representative shopping trolley”.

The ASA said: “We told Morrisons to make clear in future when comparisons involving their promotional prices were made against competitors’ everyday prices.

“We also told them not to imply that advertised savings were representative of a typical shop if that was not the case.”

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