Advertising watchdogs have upheld a complaint against press advertisements run by DIY chain B&Q which criticised arch-rival Homebase over prices.

The Advertising Standards Authority said the adverts were "misleading", and ordered B&Q to withdraw them.

It also advised the DIY chain to consult an ASA expert panel before running similar ads in the future.

The B&Q adverts, which appeared in national newspapers after a one-day 10% discount offer at Homebase stores, stated:

"Today, Homebase store prices are 10% more expensive than yesterday...At B&Q you can be certain of low prices everyday."

B&Q said its advertisement had referred readers to the terms and conditions of the Homebase scheme.

Mistaken

The firm also said it believed that any discounts available at Homebase after the original one-day offer would apply only to bulk purchases.

But Homebase told the ASA that many of its prices had not risen after the expiry of the one-day offer, while others had in fact been reduced further.

It stressed that discounts beyond the one-day offer did not apply only to bulk purchases, contrary to B&Q's information.

The ASA, the UK's regulator for non-broadcast advertising, fields thousands of complaints over adverts from businesses and consumers every year.

Last year, it ordered advertisers to change or withdraw a total of 651 advertisements.

Last week, it ruled that there was insufficient scientific evidence to back claims made in an advert by tea firm Tetley GB that tea had proven health benefits.