Shop Talk

What They Really Mean

This is a list of words and phrases found in shops and on products together with their real meanings.
Suggestions for additions to the list are always welcome!

What They Say	What They Mean
Save	Spend
Only ...	An extortionate ...
... Ready	Not ...
Sale	We're selling something.
Offer	We're selling something.
Up to ...	You'll be lucky if it's anything like ...
Bargains	We're selling something.
Great prices	Large prices
Prices reduced	We've been overcharging.
3,000 price reductions	there's a load of stuff we can't shift.
£19.99	Twenty pounds, but we want you to think it's ten.
From	A lot more for the one you want.
85% fat free	15% by weight is fat.
Buy one get one free	Pay for two even if you only want one.
Half price / 50% off	The price is half some mythical price we never sold any at.
25% Extra Free	25% extra but you still have to pay for it.
Clearance	Stuff we can't sell.
Unrepeatable	Obsolete
Value	Not necessarily good value
Everything must go	It's not worth keeping.
Cost Cutter	We cut costs, not prices
Energy saving	Energy using
Seriously (or fabulously) fruity	We can't say it actually contains fruit.
Perfectly balanced	We weighed the ingredients.
Price commitment	We're committed to prices.
Price checked	The price is as high as we can get away with.
Irresistable	Resistable
Love Life	(more meaningless garbage)

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Last updated 28th April, 2012