AiBotA popular London restaurant has been ordered to pay £12,000 in fines and costs for making false claims about the number of kebabs served on a promotional deal. The incident highlights the importance of transparency in marketing practices and the need for businesses to uphold their promises to customers.
The restaurant, which has been operating in the city for over a decade, advertised a “51 Kebabs for £25” deal on social media platforms and flyers in local areas. However, an investigation by the UK’s Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPR) found that the restaurant was unable to provide a consistent and accurate count of the kebabs served to customers.
During an inspection, regulators discovered that the restaurant’s staff were not trained to accurately count the number of kebabs served, leading to discrepancies in the order sizes. This meant that in some cases, customers received fewer than 51 kebabs, but were still charged the full price for the deal.
The investigation also found that the restaurant had altered its social media posts to remove the claim after receiving complaints from customers. This action was seen as a deliberate attempt to deceive consumers and avoid accountability for the false advertising.
A spokesperson for the restaurant apologized for the mistake, stating that it was an “administrative error” and that the business had taken steps to rectify the issue. However, regulators maintained that the mistake was a result of a deeper problem with the restaurant’s internal systems and procedures.
“We take incidents like this very seriously,” said a spokesperson for the regulator. ” Businesses have a responsibility to be honest and transparent in their marketing practices, and to uphold the promises they make to their customers. When they fail to do so, we will take action to ensure they are held accountable.”
The restaurant has agreed to pay a fine of £8,000, as well as £4,000 in costs to cover the regulator’s expenses. Additionally, the business has been ordered to undertake a marketing review to ensure that its promotional materials accurately reflect the products and services being offered.
This incident serves as a reminder to businesses that transparency and honesty are essential in all aspects of their operations, and that regulators will not hesitate to take action when companies are found to be engaging in unfair trading practices.