why do people feel the need to buy expensive cable

Thanks for the information supporting my original contention that there was no court case. Besides, the whole thing was resolved in favor of the cable company. So willemj’s contention of a court case was a perfect example of fake news. Also known as a nothing burger. 🍔

See here for a more recent case: https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/the-chord-company-ltd-a14-274211.html
The snake oil sellers keep trying.
See here for a US example, though not about cables: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/11/sony-computer-entertainment-america-provide-c...

Uh, neither one of your new “evidence” are court cases, either. More fake news. What’s next, natural food? 🍔 The Teleportation Tweak? UFOs? Ghosts? 👻

Not court cases, but effectively with the power of a court. Typically, in Europe the state tries to leave such things to the self regulation of an industry (in this case the advertising industry). If the industry fails to clean up a sector from misleading and deceptive practices, the state will step in. Here in the Netherlands, that has led to very expensive court cases for banks, for example.
So, aside from the technicalities that I had not remembered quite correctly, society has acted against these crooks.

I think exotic/expensive audio cables and the misleading advertising about them have not gotten much (legal) attention because so few people actually buy them. That is because, in my opinion, few believe the hype and even fewer want to spend more money than makes sense for system connects.

Quite frankly, over-priced audio cables are of so little importance, in the scheme of things, and only used by the few that are unable to readily identify the marketing as mere misleading hype, they don’t really pose a "truth in advertising" threat to the masses.

Oh...and watch this...🍔🍟🏈🎯🥇 😋 I’m so cool!