Services Advertised as 'Free'

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Eddie Peters

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There appears to be a growing number of businesses that are advertising their services as 'Free' but in reality this is false advertising. Maybe I'm just becoming an old fuddy-duddy but recently I've come across two such instances:
- Vodafone's so-called free calls & texts to any mobile and landline when you top up with €20 every 30 days. Maybe I'm being a bit pernickety but a 'top-up of €20 every 30 days' is paying for that service - and without topping up I would not receive the so-called 'Free' calls and texts.
- Opticians advertising a "Free Eye Exam" in large print... but then point out that only qualified PRSI customers (and Medical Card Holders) are entitled to the freebie. It is probably one of the few diminishing benefits that a working PRSI and tax-paying individual is entitled to for their Pay Related Social Insurance tax every two years (along with dental check-ups - but I haven't seen dentists advertise in this way).
I'm sure there are many more examples but I can't see why the Consumer watchdog doesn't stop this blatant false advertising. The last time I checked the word 'Free' meant taking nothing from my pocket, nada, zilch, gratis. I am a disgruntled poster this morning. Maybe cornflakes will help.

Edward
 
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I rang one one of the lazer eye clinics to book one of their "free consultations" to see if I would be a suitable canditate, only to find its not "free" but will cost me €150.
which would be refunded only if I went ahead with the procedure
 
The cornflakes obviously haven't kicked in yet because I fail to see why my post has been moved and down-graded from the Consumer Issues forum to Letting Off Steam. Especially as my 12 year old explained earlier that he would call me later as he had "free calls & texts" (which I only pay €20 per 30 days for the privilege). The sooner I get him working up a chimney the better. Meanwhile do the AAM Mods not think that paying €240 per year for "free calls and texts" is false advertising?
 
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Eddie Peters said:
The cornflakes obviously haven't kicked in yet because I fail to see why my post has been moved and down-graded from the Consumer Issues forum to Letting Off Steam. Especially as my 12 year old explained earlier that he would call me later as he had "free calls & texts" (which I only pay €20 per 30 days for the privilege). The sooner I get him working up a chimney the better. Meanwhile do the AAM Mods not think that paying €240 per year for "free calls and texts" is false advertising?
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If you are paying for them, then your 12 year old obviously does have free calls and texts.

Try Tesco, its only €15 a month for free calls and texts.

Why not send in a complaint to the advertising standards authority.
 
I did have a difficulty lately with an optician who said employer would pay for eye test. It was totally awkward and I didn't look forward to a second appointment even though he's a good optician. It looks like both optician and employer are both looking to use my PRSI for their payment. Got a Specsavers voucher posted last week saying that "most people than ever now qualify for a free eye-test through the PRSI or Medical Card schemes. But even if you don't you can have a free eye test with this voucher. Valid till 20 Sep 2017."
 
Purple said:
It would be better to say that Tesco charge €15 a month and that includes all calls and texts
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I totally agree. Plus Vodafone allow unlimited roaming too and 1 GB data. It's a no-brainer.
 
Logo said:
Vodafone allow unlimited roaming too and 1 GB data. It's a no-brainer
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Aren't all service providers in the EU legally bound to provide for unlimited roaming now? And a quota of data "Free"? BTW what network do they piggyback on - coverage isn't great for some.
 
Eddie Peters said:
The cornflakes obviously haven't kicked in yet because I fail to see why my post has been moved and down-graded from the Consumer Issues forum to Letting Off Steam. ..... Meanwhile do the AAM Mods not think that paying €240 per year for "free calls and texts" is false advertising?
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Your original post was written in a style more appropriate for LoS. There was no clear question.

Eddie Peters said:
Meanwhile do the AAM Mods not think that paying €240 per year for "free calls and texts" is false advertising?
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The terms are quite clear and meet the necessary advertising standards. All their ads clearly state that to get the free calls and texts you must top up by €20 each month. That top-up is then fully available to you to use on other services not covered in the bundle, so you are not paying for the free element. You may not want or need €20 worth of additional services, but It's up to you to make a call on whether the total package is worth €20 a month to you.

Similar applies to the hearing test example. It is perfectly legal to cover restrictions and limitations in the small print. So long as these are called out, they are in full compliance with legislation.
 
Leo said:
There was no clear question.
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Services advertised as 'Free'" was what I was questioning (when I have to pay > €500 per annum for a family for advertised "free phone" access).

Eddie Peters said:
Opticians advertising a "Free Eye Exam" in large print... but then point out that only qualified PRSI customers (and Medical Card Holders) are entitled to the freebie. It is probably one of the few diminishing benefits that a working PRSI and tax-paying individual is entitled to for their Pay Related Social Insurance tax every two years (along with dental check-ups - but I haven't seen dentists advertise in this way).
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Just to make my point more succinct. I happen to have a problem with Vodafone and companies that promote services that cost me more money and extra work to pay for those services. It's just that younger people seem to be totally sold on advertisements that promote the word "Free".
BTW. Thanks Leo. Your input is appreciated. I don't have much to add - so yeah maybe it's best that I stick to the LoS Forum. :)
 
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Eddie Peters said:
It's just that younger people seem to be totally sold on advertisements that promote the word "Free".
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There's an element of a large enough portion of the population who see the word 'free', know it can't possibly be the full story, but so want it to be true they suspend rational thought in order to try convince themselves they are getting a good deal. The marketing people know this and exploit it to the full.

I hope no one believes a large multi-national corporation is really going to give you just the product or service you want free of charge without them making money somewhere along the way.
 
0% Finance. :mad: No retail punter ever truly gets 0% finance. The car dealer may not give a discount for cash but that does not mean 0% finance, it means an artificial penalty for cash purchases.
 
I'm more inclined to cut Vodafone some slack... in the old days you topped up by €20 and everything cost you credit. It's clear with this that by topping up by €20 you are getting certain services for free rather than being charged per use.

But the eye test thing is indefensible... it's not even the Opticians who are providing the 'free' service e.g. if they said free eye test if you purchase your prescription lenses here that would be defensible. It's provided by the Government!
 
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