Consumer controversies

Lovisa’s Sparkle Under Scrutiny: Jewellery Brand Slammed for Misleading SA Consumers

Published

2 months ago

June 30, 2025

Chiraag

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Shiny pictures, empty promises: Lovisa’s latest ad campaign raises red flags with SA regulators.

When a glossy jewellery promo lands in your inbox, you expect the sparkle in the picture to reflect something real (something you can actually buy). But for one South African shopper, that wasn’t the case with Lovisa, and her frustration has led to a broader reckoning with the retailer’s advertising practices.

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The missing jewellery mystery

It started with a simple expectation. A consumer received a Lovisa email brimming with dazzling images of rings, earrings, and necklaces (the kind of visuals that make you want to treat yourself). But when she visited a store to find those exact items? Nothing. Not in stock. Not even traceable.

She wasn’t asking for anything unreasonable: just a little help locating the advertised products. But instead of service, she got a roadblock (Lovisa staff said they couldn’t help her without a specific stock number).

This wasn’t a one-off issue, either. According to her complaint, many of the items in the promotional image had never been available in the store at all.

Enter the watchdog: ARB responds

The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) took notice. While Lovisa isn’t even a member of the ARB and technically doesn’t have to play by its rules, the regulator can still issue rulings that impact how its member media platforms handle such brands.

In this case, the ARB ruled that Lovisa’s promotional imagery was likely to mislead customers (a direct violation of South Africa’s advertising code). Their investigation found that although some items in the mailer could be located with effort, many simply couldn’t be found (not in-store and not online either).

And that’s a problem. As the ARB pointed out, the purpose of advertising is to showcase products that are actually available. Expecting customers to hunt down a product using internal stock codes is unreasonable. Especially when the brand could have just… replied with an answer.

“Not our problem”? Not so fast

Lovisa didn’t respond to the ARB’s request for comment (a silence that didn’t help its case). The ARB’s directorate acknowledged that the jewellery chain carries a massive catalogue, but added that this is no excuse for vague or misleading promotions. It criticised the lack of transparency and instructed member organisations not to run the offending ad content in its current form.

Image 1: IAB South Africa

Why this matters to South African shoppers

In a digital-first retail world, many South Africans are discovering new products through promotional emails, sponsored posts, and online campaigns. But when what you see isn’t what you get, it chips away at trust (not just in a brand, but in the entire system meant to protect consumers).

This case reminds us that even big-name retailers can cross the line if they’re not held accountable. And while Lovisa may not fall under the ARB’s direct jurisdiction, the watchdog’s ruling sends a clear message: honesty matters, even in marketing glitter.

Public sentiment: frustration and familiarity

The reaction on social media has been swift and unsurprised. Many users have shared similar frustrations about misleading ads in retail, particularly around seasonal sales or influencer promotions. “This is exactly why I stopped trusting promo emails,” wrote one Johannesburg user on X. “You go in, and NOTHING looks like what they show.”

Others are calling for stricter penalties, especially for global chains operating in South Africa. The consensus? South Africans are tired of smoke-and-mirrors marketing.

What’s next for Lovisa?

While Lovisa hasn’t yet issued a public response to the ARB’s findings, the pressure is on. If they want to maintain customer trust in South Africa, transparency must be part of the brand’s makeover.

Because in a country where consumers are already navigating economic pressures, the least a brand can do is keep its promises (starting with the jewellery in its own ads).