Ross Mounce

In late 2016, Martin Eve, Stuart Lawson and Jon Tennant referred
Elsevier/RELX to the [Competition and Markets
Authority](https://www.martineve.com/2016/12/03/referring-elsevierrelx-to-the-competition-and-markets-authority/).
Inspired by this, I thought I would try referring a complaint to the UK
[Advertising Standards Authority](https://www.asa.org.uk/) (ASA) about
some blatant fibbing I saw Elsevier engage-in with their marketing spiel
at a recent conference.

The content of my submission is below:

**Name: **Ross Mounce

**Ad type:** Leaflets, flyers and circulars

**Brand/product:** Elsevier

**Date:** 26th February 2018

**Your complaint:**  
Elsevier, a large academic publishing company, have flyers and a large
poster, both containing the same information at the [Researcher to
Reader Conference](https://r2rconf.com/) (British Medical Association
House, London). They claim on both the flyers and the poster that "Fact
\#2: Our APC prices are value for money Our APC prices range from \$150
-- \$5000 US dollars..." \[APC means Article Processing Charge, a
publishing service for academic customers\] I believe this is false
advertising as some of their journals clearly charge \$5200 US dollars
as an APC. \$5200 is greater than the maximum of \$5000 advertised. They
also report these prices without VAT added-on, this is also misleading
as this meeting is in the UK. UK customers choosing this service would
have to pay the APC plus VAT tax and so the prices should be displayed
inclusive of taxes in adverts like this. There is no mention of the need
to pay VAT on either the flyers or the poster. I went to their website
the same day and found thirteen journals published at Elsevier, that by
Elsevier's own price list charge \$5200 US dollars, not including VAT.
Those journals are: *Cancer Cell, Cell, Cell Chemical Biology, Cell Host
& Microbe, Cell Metabolism, Cell Stem Cell, Cell Systems, Current
Biology, Developmental Cell, Immunity, Molecular Cell, Neuron*, and
*Structure*. For reference I have attached a PDF of Elsevier's online
price list which I downloaded from Elsevier's official website
here: [https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/pricing](https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/pricing){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"
saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/pricing&source=gmail&ust=1526414355514000&usg=AFQjCNEaFZRpq3gTY5XViZKa3a_kBIwcPg"}
which takes one to this PDF
URL: [https://www.elsevier.com/\_\_data/promis_misc/j.custom97.pdf](https://www.elsevier.com/__data/promis_misc/j.custom97.pdf){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"
saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=https://www.elsevier.com/__data/promis_misc/j.custom97.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1526414355514000&usg=AFQjCNE7fpjwNTNzwgn55b3-gxC35KcbuA"}

I attached images of the offending poster and flyers. Below is a photo I
took of the misleading flyer:

[![Misleading Elsevier
Flyer](http://rossmounce.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/flyer-150x150.jpg){.alignleft
.size-thumbnail .wp-image-2184 loading="lazy" decoding="async"
width="150"
height="150"}](http://rossmounce.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/flyer.jpg)

I am pleased to announce that the UK Advertising Standards Authority
upheld my complaint.

Here is their reply:

**[ASA]{.il} Enquiry Ref: A18-443580 -- RELX (UK) Ltd
t/a [Elsevier]{.il}**

Dear Dr Mounce,

Thank you for contacting the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

**Your Complaint: RELX (UK) Ltd t/a Elsevier**

I understand from your complaint that you felt that Elsevier's
advertising was misleading because it did not accurately reflect the
price range of their products and they do not quote prices with VAT. 
Please note that we have only reviewed the leaflet which you forwarded
to us, because we considered that the sign constituted point of sale
material, which is not covered by our Codes.

We have concluded that the leaflet was likely to have breached the
Advertising Rules that we apply and I am writing to let you know that we
have taken steps to address this.

We have explained your concerns to the advertiser and provided guidance
to them on the areas that require attention, together with advice on how
to ensure that their advertising complies with the Codes.

Comments such as yours help us to understand the issues that matter to
consumers and we will keep a record of your complaint on file for use in
future monitoring. If you would like more information about our
complaint handling principles, please visit our
website [here](https://www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint.html){saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=https://www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint.html&source=gmail&ust=1526414850918000&usg=AFQjCNEMI1Fo3TCjP67HrhUSnwPHPnTLOg"}.

Thank you once again for contacting us with your concerns.

Yours sincerely,

** **

**Damson Warner-Allen**

**Complaints Executive**

Direct line 020 7492 2173

Advertising Standards Authority

Mid City Place, 71 High Holborn

London WC1V 6QT

Telephone 020 7492 2222

[www.asa.org.uk](http://www.asa.org.uk/){saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=http://www.asa.org.uk/&source=gmail&ust=1526414850918000&usg=AFQjCNHgIQYbCvf3E8nRheqj8NByolEZOA"}

I am thrilled that the Advertising Standards Authority has officially
upheld my complaint, and I encourage others who notice similar problems
with Elsevier's business practices, and that of other academic
publishers to come forward with further complaints. These companies are
not immune to regulation -- they must abide by the law at all times. The
punishment for now is just a slap-on-the-wrist but if they are
consistently caught misadvertising, stronger punishments can and would
be meted out. Perhaps now is the time for more regulators to start
seriously investigating complaints about these richly profitable
publishing companies with [dubious business
practices](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsevier)? Watch this space...


In late 2016, Martin Eve, Stuart Lawson and Jon Tennant referred Elsevier/RELX to the Competition and Markets Authority. Inspired by this, I thought I would try referring a complaint to the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) about some blatant fibbing I saw Elsevier engage-in with their marketing spiel at a recent conference.

Messaggi di Rogue Scholar

Referring Elsevier/RELX to the Advertising Standards Authority