Which? has claimed the vast majority of products sold on Black Friday last year were cheaper or the same price at other times of the year
Which? has claimed the vast majority of products sold on Black Friday last year were cheaper or the same price at other times of the year(Image: Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Black Friday is just around the corner, and as many Brits prepare to splash out on the so-called discount day, one watchdog has claimed this event may be just too good to be true.
Which? has claimed the vast majority of products sold on Black Friday in 2024 were either cheaper or the same price at other times of the year.
The consumer champion compared the prices of 175 home, tech and health appliances on offer last year from eight brands during Black Friday, and the rest of the year spanning from May 2024 to May 2025.
John Lewis and Very were two of those which were investigated, among others, with experts discovering that 100 per cent of the products analysed at the companies were cheaper or the same price in the six months either side of the sale day when compared to their Black Friday price.
READ MORE: King Charles’ ‘last straw’ with Prince Harry ‘which evoked brutal response’
Which? also shared that compared to the ‘sales period’, 83 per cent of products were cheaper or equal in price on at least one occasion during the year, and 42 per cent of products were cheaper at least once.
Finally, the consumer watchdog concluded that 35 per cent of products were cheaper after the sale period, and 68 per cent were either the same in price or cheaper, which means if you decide to hold off on that purchase, it will likely not do you major harm.
Some of the examples Which? flagged included a Samsung Jet Bot Robot Vacuum Cleaner which was priced at £299 for 29 days in May/June 2024, compared to £350 on Black Friday.
Which? said its advertised price was dropped from £500 on the sale day, but the price had only been that since the beginning of October (previously it was £399).
Other examples flagged by Which? includes the Dyson V11 Extra Stick Vacuum Cleaner sold by Very in 2024.
It was priced at £349 on Black Friday 2024, but sat at the same price 29 days before the sale and 41 days after the event had occurred.
Which? concluded that at John Lewis, 94 per cent of products in the analysis that were flogged during Black Friday had been cheaper or exactly the same price at other times of the year – with at one point an item was in fact 56 per cent less expensive.
It was a similar story at Very, where 93 per cent of items were cheaper or the same price around the Black Friday period.
John Lewis, has however, its own Never Knowingly Undersold programme, where the retailer price matches against 25 other brands, even when offers are being run.
The company said if it finds a lower price within seven days of a product being purchased, it will refund you the difference.
READ MORE: Everything about Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget as 48 hour countdown begins
John Lewis told Which?: ‘Our customers can find brilliant deals with us all year round, but our Black Friday event brings together a unique breadth and volume of offers that can’t be found at any other time of year – and is especially popular as customers prepare for Christmas.
“And with our Never Knowingly Undersold brand promise – which matches prices with 25 leading retailers – customers can have absolute confidence that they are getting fantastic value.”
The Very Group commented: “We’re committed to delivering great value across our department store all year round. Promotions are important to our customers and Black Friday is just one of the many key calendar moments when we showcase some of our best deals.”
