The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a Sports Direct advert promoting savings of “up to 50 per cent off” after ruling that the retailer's recommended retail price (RRP) claims misled shoppers.

The decision followed a complaint from consumer group Which?, which challenged a product page on the Sports Direct website for a Puma Women's Zipped Baselayer Top.
The advert, seen on 10 February 2026, displayed the price "from £17.00 RRP £45.00", alongside the claim "UP TO 50% OFF".

Which? argued that the quoted RRP differed significantly from the price at which the product was generally sold and questioned whether the advertised savings were genuine.

In response, Sports Direct owner Frasers Group said Puma had confirmed that the baselayer's RRP had always been £45. It also submitted Puma price lists covering Spring/Summer 2024 to Spring/Summer 2026, along with screenshots showing the product listed at £45 on Puma's website and £43.94 through a third-party retailer.

Frasers Group said customers understood RRPs to represent a manufacturer's recommended selling price rather than a price charged by Sports Direct. It also argued that its pricing strategy focused on offering customers the lowest possible prices.

However, the ASA upheld the complaint. It said CAP Code guidance states that evidence of a manufacturer's recommended retail price is not enough on its own if a retailer cannot demonstrate that the product is generally sold at that price across the market.

The watchdog noted that the same product was also available for £17 through another Frasers Group retailer and for £23 through another online sports retailer.
It concluded that the evidence did not support the claim that the product generally sold at the advertised RRP of £45.

The ASA ruled that the RRP and associated savings claim were misleading and breached the CAP Code rules on misleading advertising, pricing and price comparisons.

It has instructed Frasers Group Trading, which operates Sports Direct, not to use the advert again in its current form and to ensure future RRP comparisons reflect the price at which products are generally sold across the market.

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