Argos admits overcharging store card holders

Argos has admitted over charging store card customers

Argos owner Home Retail Group says it is setting aside at least Â£30 million to compensate store card customers after overcharging late payment fees.

Home Retail said it had recently uncovered errors in the calculation of late payment fees for one in 10 Argos card customers and found the issue was now more widespread than first thought.

The details emerged as it posted its best sales performance for two years after shrugging off poor early spring weather and the “distraction” of its £1.4 billion takeover by Sainsbury’s.

Home Retail Group said like-for-like sales at Argos edged 0.1 per cent higher in the 13 weeks to May 28, while total sales rose 2.6 per cent to £868m, thanks to a surge in online sales.

John Walden, chief executive of Home Retail, said the store card compensation issue was “not material”, but confirmed it affected up to 10 per cent of Argos card customers.

The group had already put by £17m in full-year results to the end of February to cover charges, including the store card payment errors and redress for mis-selling of payment protection insurance.

But it warned in its latest trading update that it may need to set aside around another £30m.

Those affected are expected to receive compensation of up to £100 each and Home Retail will write to affected customers in the next few weeks.

Mr Walden said: “It’s not a material number of customers and not a material amount of money per customer.

“But for each customer it matters. We will address it and treat customers fairly.”

Guy Anker, managing editor at consumer advice website moneysavingexpert.com, said: “Store cards are the devil of plastic as it is.

“They often come with horrendously high APRs [annual percentage rates] and if companies are overcharging in terms of late fees than that’s a double whammy.”

He added that a £12 limit for late payment charges has been in place for ten years, meaning it is “clear what the cap is” for store card companies.

Home Retail has had an eventful past few months, selling off its DIY chain Homebase to Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers for £340m in February and agreeing that £1.4bn takeover by Sainsbury’s a month later.

The deal is being looked at by the Competition and Markets Authority, but is expected to go through in the third quarter.