Lyko Defends Pricing Strategy Amid Black Friday Discount Criticism

Rickard Lyko, founder and CEO of the Swedish retailer Lyko, has responded to accusations that the company’s Black Friday pricing tactics are misleading. Critics have labeled these practices as a "scam" due to price increases in October, which allow for seemingly larger discounts during the sales period. Lyko emphasized in a TikTok video that the company complies with regulations enacted on September 1, 2022, which require retailers to display the lowest price a product has had in the previous 30 days when advertising discounts. This law aims to curb deceptive sales practices both online and in physical stores.

According to Lyko, many e-commerce businesses have increased prices in October as a legal strategy to present more attractive discounts during Black Friday. He advised consumers to avoid shopping in October if they want the best prices. Furthermore, he suggested that if consumers desire fairer pricing practices, the regulations should be re-examined rather than blaming individual companies. Lyko argued that a level playing field is necessary in retail competition and that all companies operate under the same pricing rules.

These comments come amid broader public debate on pricing tactics during major sales events and follow criticism from figures such as Emely Dahl, who highlighted these pricing strategies on social media. A survey by the comparison platform Prisjakt corroborates the prevalence of price increases ahead of Black Friday among Swedish online retailers.