The UK's advertising watchdog has taken action against three prominent travel companies, prohibiting adverts that promised customers the 'lowest' or 'cheapest' ticket prices without proof. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that ScotRail Ltd, Greater Anglia Ltd, and My Train Ticket Ltd all made claims they could not substantiate.
Unproven Promises Across the Rail Industry
The ASA's investigation, part of a broader focus on 'lowest price' claims in the rail sector, found a consistent failure to provide evidence. In all three cases, the advertisers could not demonstrate that passengers would genuinely secure the lowest available fare by booking through their platforms. The rulings, based on website content seen in August 2025, have forced the companies to amend their marketing.
My Train Ticket's homepage, reviewed on 28 August 2025, featured a 'get cheapest tickets' button and promoted a 'best fare finder' service. The company admitted it lacked evidence to back these claims and told the ASA it would remove the wording and develop new, accurate messaging. It also pledged to implement stronger internal checks.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, a My Train Ticket spokesperson said: 'We regularly review and update our website to ensure it provides accurate, clear, and impartial information for our customers.'
Direct Booking Guarantees Called Into Question
The two train operating companies were challenged over adverts that encouraged direct booking by guaranteeing the best prices. ScotRail's website, seen on 25 August 2025, included phrases like 'Get cheapest tickets', 'Book direct for our best price', and 'Unbeatable on price'.
ScotRail defended the claims, arguing that its journey planner showed the cheapest fares and that it charged no booking fees, unlike some third-party retailers. It also stated it would reimburse customers who found a genuine lower like-for-like fare elsewhere. Despite this defence and having removed the 'unbeatable' claim, the ASA concluded the ad was misleading due to the lack of supporting evidence.
Claire Dickie, ScotRail commercial director, acknowledged the ASA's decision, stating: 'We have already taken steps to update the wording on our website... We regret that the website messages did not fully reflect the ASA's requirements.'
Similarly, Greater Anglia's website on 28 August 2025 urged users to 'Book direct for lowest prices & no fees'. The company, Abellio Greater Anglia Ltd, said the claim was intended to highlight it offered the lowest ticket on a given day. It later amended the text to 'Book direct to avoid any booking fees'. However, the ASA still found the original advert misleading.
Regulatory Action and Industry Impact
The ASA welcomed the changes made by the companies but upheld the complaints because the core 'lowest price' promise remained unverified. These rulings send a clear signal to the entire transport and retail sector about the need for robust evidence behind any comparative price claims.
The decisions underscore the ASA's ongoing scrutiny of value claims in the rail industry. For consumers, it highlights the importance of shopping around, as no single retailer can automatically be assumed to have the absolute cheapest fare for every journey. All three companies have now committed to providing clearer, more accurate information to passengers moving forward.
