Catalogue scraps controversial subscription clubs

Catalogue company Easylife has said it will stop trying to sign its customers up to expensive membership clubs, following criticism of the way they were sold.

People have complained about discovering they had been signed up to discount clubs they did not want – for example a car maintenance scheme when they did not drive.

The memberships are often sold to the companies largely elderly customer base when they were called by a third party telesales company.

Easylife, which is based in Sheerness, Kent, defended the way subscriptions were sold but also said it had, with immediate effect, decided to stop selling its clubs over the phone.

In a statement it said it was a "responsible company" that had taken this step after "having thoroughly reviewed all the evidence".

It said "some outbound calls" had "caused some distress to a small number of their customers who they believe have subsequently forgotten that they had agreed to subscribe to such clubs during such outbound sales calls".

Easylife was founded 32 years ago and is best known for its catalogue, which sells a range of home and garden products.

Since 2015 it has also offered its customers the opportunity to sign up to affiliate clubs that come under the Easylife umbrella, offering discounts on high street brands, car repairs and pet products and books.

It is these clubs that have attracted complaints.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) told BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours it had received 31 complaints about Easylife in the last six months.

David Morgan, from Billericay in Essex, said more than £900 was paid in subscription payments from the bank account of his brother-in-law, Tony, for whom he has lasting power of attorney.

He said Tony was "unable to explain" what the payments were about.

Mr Morgan contacted Easylife, who agreed to stop taking money and agreed to a repayment.

He said it had been "distressing and painful" and added: "For Tony, it was a horrible experience."

Easylife said Tony had bought a number of products on one day in October 2020 and two years later, in a sales call, he had agreed to a wellbeing and puzzle subscription.

A year after that, in December 2023, they said he signed up for pet and cash back clubs.

Easylife said the person who had made these calls was sacked for gross misconduct because he had violated the centre's vulnerable persons policy.

Robert Sanguinazzi, from Surrey, said he discovered pending payments in letters to his mother, Margaret.

She had been signed up to a car club costing £69 a year despite having never driven in her life – and a pet club despite having no pet.

Margaret said: "They made out I would get rewards for anything I use."

Easylife said Margaret had agreed to sign up to these clubs but Margaret said that was "nonsense".

In fact, no charges were taken either the pet club or the motor club as both subscriptions were cancelled during the relevant cooling off period.

Maureen Gilmour, from Bedfordshire, ended up being signed up to the car club – like Margaret, she has also never driven.

She said she had "absolutely not" agreed to the subscriptions and added: "I’m really quite cautious when it comes to stuff like that.

"If anybody mentioned 'car' I would be saying 'no don’t be stupid'."

Easylife said Maureen agreed to subscribe to the motor club, which was only offered to customers who had first confirmed they drove.

It also said calls were recorded at the time but they were not available any more.

Lawyers representing Easylife said: "Easylife Limited and The Rewards Club Limited have genuinely tried their best over the years to treat their customers fairly in all their dealings with them.

"They have implemented numerous safeguards including imposing numerous best practice obligations on their telesales services partner company, including a vulnerable persons policy.

"They have also made cancellation very much easier.

"However they do accept that even with such practices in place there have been a small number of issues with their customer demographic.

"It is for that reason that they have decided to cease the clubs business with immediate effect."

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