The MSE Editorial Code

On 21 September 2012, Moneysupermarket Group (now known as the MONY Group) took over the operations of MoneySavingExpert.com. In order to preserve the editorial independence of MoneySavingExpert.com, Martin Lewis and the MoneySupermarket Group agreed an editorial code as part of the sale.

On 22 September 2015, Martin Lewis moved from Editor-in-Chief to Chairman of MoneySavingExpert.com. The Editor-in-Chief reports to Martin directly and is responsible to him for ensuring that:

(1) MoneySavingExpert.com shall be operated in accordance with this Editorial Code and 
(2) this Editorial Code shall be carried out and applied in a manner consistent with the practice, activities, ethos and operation of MoneySavingExpert.com and Martin Lewis (as Editor-in-Chief) during the 12-month period prior to 1 June 2012:

1. MoneySavingExpert.com and the MONY Group websites shall continue to operate as separate websites.

2. MoneySavingExpert.com's editorial independence and strategy of "helping the consumer" first shall prevail. The editorial stance shall remain independent from commercial objectives. The reporting lines of the Editorial and Commercial teams shall remain separate to maintain the independent editorial stance.

3. MoneySavingExpert.com's Editor-in-Chief shall control all editorial decisions made in relation to MoneySavingExpert.com and its editorial strategy.

4. MoneySavingExpert.com's forum shall continue to be operated in a manner consistent with current practice for the benefit of "helping the consumer" first. MoneySavingExpert.com's Editor-in-Chief shall oversee the website's forum strategy.

5. MoneySavingExpert.com's Editor-in-Chief shall determine any content on the website and in any email, printed publications and reports. The Editor-in-Chief shall ensure the design of the website, all products, services, mobile applications and tools provided by the website from time to time are consistent with MoneySavingExpert.com's strategy of "helping the consumer first" (the "MoneySavingExpert.com Content").     

6. MoneySavingExpert.com's Editor-in-Chief (and authorised spokespersons) may comment freely on all issues consistent with the website's role as a consumer campaigning website, regardless of whether such views differ from those of the MONY Group. Such comments shall be made in an objective manner consistent with MoneySavingExpert.com's strategy of "helping the consumer" first.

7. MoneySavingExpert.com's Editor-in-Chief (and authorised spokespersons) shall be permitted to comment freely about the products and services available through the MONY Group. Such comments shall be made in an objective manner consistent with MoneySavingExpert.com's strategy of "helping the consumer" first.

8. MoneySavingExpert.com Content shall continue to be researched, written and approved by the Editorial team according to journalistic methods and in an objective manner in order to identify the money saving techniques, products and services that MoneySavingExpert.com considers to be the preferred option for users consistent with its strategy of "helping the consumer" first.

9. Products and services provided by MONY Group companies shall be assessed using the same journalistic methods as those of any other third party and, like any other third party, shall only be included on MoneySavingExpert.com where those products and services are the preferred options for users.

10. Third parties (including the MONY Group) shall not be able to pay for or otherwise agree advertising space on MoneySavingExpert.com. Where printed guides produced by MoneySavingExpert.com are sponsored, the name of the sponsor may be noted.

11. MoneySavingExpert.com shall continue to highlight to its users how it is financed. Where MoneySavingExpert.com uses an affiliate link (a link that can result in a payment to the website) it will, wherever practicable, continue to provide an alternative unpaid link to an identical product or service on the same page.

12. MoneySavingExpert.com may continue to highlight and remind users (via its email or website navigation) of MoneySavingExpert.com Content that generates revenue, provided this does not impact the editorial stance which shall continue to be determined in an objective manner consistent with MoneySavingExpert.com's strategy of "helping the consumer" first. For more information, see How this site is financed.

13. MoneySavingExpert.com Content and the MoneySavingExpert.com brand may only be used on MoneySupermarket.com or MONY Group media with the express permission of MoneySavingExpert.com's Editor-in-Chief (acting reasonably). If such permission is granted, the following provisos shall apply:

    • 13.1. When MoneySavingExpert.com's opinions on products or services are used, a one-click link path shall exist to the full information on MoneySavingExpert.com about those products or services; and

    • 13.2. If deemed appropriate by the Editor-in-Chief, any applicable caveats shall appear directly within the copy on MoneySupermarket.com or MONY Group media; and

    • 13.3. MoneySavingExpert.com Content and the MoneySavingExpert.com brand shall be used in the same context as in the original copy on MoneySavingExpert.com; and

    • 13.4. The amount of MoneySavingExpert.com Content used shall be determined by the Editor-in-Chief.

14. Any personal information about individual users, including contact details (as opposed to aggregated or anonymised user behaviour data), gathered while operating MoneySavingExpert.com shall not be tracked or otherwise used by MONY Group (except to enable energy switches for the purposes of Cheap Energy Club, or for internal reporting, accounting or compliance purposes) without the permission of the MoneySavingExpert.com Editor-in-Chief and the relevant user.

15. If individuals give permission for their personal information to be shared across the MONY Group (eg, MoneySupermarket, TravelSupermarket Limited, Decision Technologies Limited, CYTI, Quidco), it may then be used to speed up form filling, or to personalise or improve their experience, if the same user then goes to those websites.
    
    If MoneySavingExpert.com sends users directly to MONY Group websites or the user visits MONY Group websites independently, they shall be subject to the data protection policies of those websites.

Any personal information about individual users, including contact details, gathered while operating MoneySavingExpert.com shall not be sold to third parties or used for the purposes of unsolicited communications from other parts of MONY Group.

Last updated: May 2024.