UK retailer Sports Direct is facing scrutiny over its pricing tactics following an investigation by not-for-profit UK consumer group Which?
The group has raised concerns about the use of reference prices on the company’s website, suggesting that the savings advertised may not be genuine. The findings have led to a call for the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate the matter.
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Which? said that its researchers analysed the prices of 160 products on the Sports Direct website and identified instances where the higher reference prices used to indicate savings did not seem authentic.
The investigation specifically targeted the use of recommended retail prices (RRPs) and related terms such as manufacturer suggested retail prices (MSRPs) and suggested retail prices (SRPs) on the retailer’s site.
Sports Direct is known to employ RRPs to showcase potential savings to customers. However, Which? readers have frequently reported suspicions about these RRPs, with Sports Direct a recurrent subject of concern.
According to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), consumers are likely to interpret RRPs as the standard market price, which may lead them to perceive Sports Direct’s pricing as a significant bargain.
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By GlobalDataBut Which? says that its investigation revealed that other online retailers were not selling products at the RRP or MSRP levels quoted by Sports Direct. In many cases, competitors’ prices were found to be equal to or lower than those offered by Sports Direct, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the reference prices used.
The Sports Direct brand is owned by British sportswear and fashion retailer Frasers Group.
In April 2025, Frasers entered a multi-year retail partnership with Accent Group to introduce and manage its Sports Direct brand in Australia and New Zealand.
