An advert for an advert

There are offers on the front pages of Richard Desmond's papers almost every day. On Friday 30 March, the Daily Express and the Daily Star had this:

And on Monday 2 April, the same offer for a different supermarket:

So: £5 off a £40 shop at Tesco and Asda - with the promise of more details inside.

But it turned out that those promotions were simply existing offers running at both supermarkets. Those mentions on the front pages were simply adverts for an advert. Like this, in Monday's Express:

In other words, there was absolutely no need to buy the paper to get the offer.

Going by the comments on a couple of voucher and money saving forums, it seems several people were fooled by this.

Some have also mentioned contacting the Advertising Standards Authority. Here's 'Hanonymouse':

This one is ripe for the ASA - there is nothing on the front page that says this is an advertising promotion - and given that previously these HAVE referred to in-paper vouchers, this has to be against the rules. Waste of 30p and shoe leather!

Have complained to the ASA and Tesco - this is very underhand by whoever the promoter is - taking advantage of people who recognise the recent spate of cut-out vouchers and thought this would be the same. Surely if it's an advert and not editorial or a promotion, it needs to say so, especially as it's a BIG ad in the middle at the top of the front page.

(Hat-tip to James Holden)