Which? raises concern over Expedia and Hotels.com ‘pricing disparities’

Both the ASA and CMA have joined Which? on its concerns

“Potentially misleading” pricing practices by Expedia and Hotels.com have been raised by Which? with both the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) and the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA).

The consumer watchdog claimed its latest probe into ‘mobile exclusive’ accommodation offers found disparities between laptop and mobile bookings.

The OTAs were among those that faced enforcement action from the CMA for making misleading discount claims in 2019.

Which? said it was concerned its latest investigation suggests “potentially misleading” discount tactics might still be being applied. 

It also claimed the examples it found may be in breach of consumer protection from unfair trading regulations.

“Though some of the deals the consumer champion found were potentially misleading, it nonetheless found that savings can sometimes be made by booking on a mobile,” Which? said.

Neither company responded to requests by Which? for comment. This news comes just months after its CTO and another senior staff member were fired.

An Expedia Group spokesperson told Travel Weekly: “Expedia always aims to provide competitive rates and bring value to our customers.

“We are looking into the points raised by Which? and look forward to further discussions on the matter.”

Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: “Many of us will use a laptop to make big purchases like a holiday, but we could unwittingly be missing out on significant savings offered by ‘mobile exclusive’ prices. 

“Next time you’re looking for accommodation, take five minutes to cross-check the prices on both your mobile and laptop to see if there is a cheaper price, and always call the property directly as this is often the best way to get the cheapest rate.

“It is unfair that millions of people are unknowingly forced to pay higher prices for hotel rooms simply because they use a laptop. 

“We are also concerned that some of the so-called deals offered by Expedia and Hotels.com could be misleading consumers – and we’re raising our concerns with the Advertising Standards Agency and the Competitions and Markets Authority.”