[Pseudoscience-is-malarkey (OP)]

I guess I have to read this British/Scottish writer's debut book before philistine allegations are made on me. Anyone read it?

[alancalverd]

Caveat emptor.

My local supermarket is currently pushing about 20 books, at least five of which carry the "number one best seller" tag on the front cover. It is clearly not an indication of either quality nor popularity, just the publisher's indifference to credibility. 

[Bored chemist]

Caveat emptor.

My local supermarket is currently pushing about 20 books, at least five of which carry the "number one best seller" tag on the front cover. It is clearly not an indication of either quality nor popularity, just the publisher's indifference to credibility. 

The Beatles had about 20 "number 1 best selling " records.

Not at the same time.
It's not a problem with credibility, it's one of understanding context.

[alancalverd]

The context is a supermarket shelf.

If it held 20 fish, of which 5 were labelled "fresh today", you would have cause to complain if four were rotten, even though every one probably had been "fresh today" at some point in its history.

I've also come across "NEW - Traditional...." blazoned on a few items.