The use of discount codes has increased among consumers during the spring, according to the payment service Klarna, which handles around half of all online purchases in Sweden. But the regulation for discount codes is different from the traditional sale. According to the Market Court, it must generally be classified as misleading if a sale at a company lasts for more than a total of two months per year. When it comes to discount codes, there is a lack of regulation.
– It becomes more difficult for the consumer to get an overall picture of the market, then it also means that the sale today basically runs all year round, says Carl Lindholm at Prisjakt.
He thinks there are advantages to discount codes, but believes that the Swedish Consumer Agency should review the regulation.
– I think that discount codes should be equated to a regular sale, and they should be reviewed in the same way, he says.
Lyko: “Then you round off the regulations”
The discount codes are often available to a greater extent than the sale’s maximum limit of two months. For example, the clothing company NA-KD.se, which is among the largest online Swedish clothing companies, has during the first six months of the year offered discount codes of 15-30 percent off for more than a total of four months.
At the company Lyko.se, in the month of May it was possible to find discount codes through various collaborations for a 15 percent discount for at least 26 days, and in June 18 days.
Couldn’t you lower the price instead?
– Often it’s because this particular customer hasn’t shopped for a long time and we want them to come back, and then it’s something we don’t want to give to everyone, says Rickard Lyko, CEO of Lyko.
He says that the codes are usually meant for a certain target group and, on the other hand, thinks it becomes problematic when discount codes are open on the site, for everyone to take advantage of.
– Then you round off the regulations. Then you might as well lower the price of the products, says Rickard Lyko.