Wayfair fined £4.8m for 'false' time-limited deals while Appliances Direct and Gold's Gym ordered to pay back customers

Three companies have been fined for misleading shoppers by Britain's competition watchdog, with two of them due to pay affected customers back up to £50. Wayfair has been fined £4.8million for showing false time-limited offers to shoppers. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that the online furniture seller advertised 'Daily Deals' and 24-hour 'Flash Deals' and messages like, 'Here Today, Gone Tomorrow'. Countdown timers were also used alongside certain Wayfair deal adverts, the CMA said. These advertising methods pile pressure on shoppers who think they need to buy quickly in order to get a good deal. But an investigation by the CMA started in November 2025 found that many products remained at the same price or lower after Wayfair's stated deadlines, meaning the offers were false. Wayfair has been fined £4.8m for showing false time-limited offers to shoppersThe CMA said: 'By stating these were one-day offers, people could have felt pressure to make a quick purchase so as not to lose out.' Wayfair's £4.8million fine for infringing consumer protection law includes a 40 per cent reduction for settling the case. The CMA said the reduction reflected 'resource savings to the CMA generated by the company’s admissions, and its agreement to adhere to a streamlined administrative procedure and to comply with the other conditions of settlement, including agreeing not to appeal the decision'. A Wayfair spokesperson commented: 'Although we believe the fine is excessive and disproportionate, we take the CMA’s findings seriously and we chose to settle so we can continue to focus on serving our customers.'Appliances Direct customers to get £430,000White goods retailer Appliances Direct has been fined £1.2million by the CMA. It now has to refund customers about £432,000 in total and affected customers will get about £25 each. The CMA found that Appliances Direct customers were automatically opted into services which offered to remove and recycle their old appliance or install it.Under consumer law, companies must get shoppers' express permission before charging them more for optional extras like these. But Appliances Direct did not get customers' agreement for this, the CMA said. The watchdog found that Appliances Direct also used pop-up countdown banners on some product pages. These banners claimed that discounts of £10 to £25 were available for a limited time. However, the CMA found that the same discount codes appeared repeatedly over many days. 'This meant shoppers could have been unfairly pressured into buying an appliance,' the CMA said. Affected Appliances Direct customers will be contacted by email or letter by the company. Refunds will be issued via the method shoppers used, or via an alternative option, like a cheque, if the former is not viable. Gold's Gym users could get money backGold's Gym is a franchise that operates four gyms in London, including Harrow and Hounslow. The gym chain has its origins in Southern California's 'Muscle Beach' in the 1960s and is famous for being the gym where Arnold Schwarzenegger trained during the 1980s. The CMA found that Gold's Gym failed to include a joining fee in the total price shown to customers for their annual and direct debit memberships, or the total price was shown 'in a way that was unclear and unlikely to be seen'. The watchdog added: 'This practice is illegal. Businesses must show customers the total price, including any mandatory fees, clearly and from the outset.' As a result of the CMA's findings, Gold's Gym has to refund a total of £9,220 to the 726 customers affected. The sum repaid to each gym-goer will depend on the type of membership they bought, but it will be either £50 or £10. The CMA also fined Gold's Gym £45,000. Affected customers will receive an email or letter from Gold's Gym. Hayley Fletcher, senior director for consumer protection at the CMA, said: 'Whether buying a new sofa, a washing machine, or joining a gym, people should see genuine, accurate prices and offers - and decide for themselves whether they want optional extras.' She added: 'Businesses must treat their customers fairly and make sure they comply with the law - or risk hefty fines.' The CMA's fines go to the Treasury. You can report a consumer or competition problem to the CMA by emailing them or using their online contact form. Wayfair, Appliances Direct and Gold's Gym have been contacted for comment. 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