Advertising Standards Authority upholds complaints against Hachette Partworks Advertising

Partworks sales may suffer after the Advertising Standards Authority ruled against a Hachette ad that "did not make sufficiently clear the total number of magazines consumers had to purchase and the normal selling price".

The publisher's advertising of its Routemaster bus replica partworks listed the first edition cost as £1.99, with text informing customers: “130 issues. Usual price £8.99”.

According to the regulatory body, the ad failed to properly inform consumers the second issue cost £4.99 followed by 128 subsequent issues priced at £8.99, bringing the total cost of the bus to £1,157.70.

The ASA classified the ad as "misleading" and banned it from circulation.