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Business News/ Industry / ASCI seeks changes in ads of 84 brands
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ASCI seeks changes in ads of 84 brands

Products and services in personal and healthcare category face maximum number of complaints, followed by education

The longest list of complaints belonged to the personal and healthcare categories where the product or service advertisements were either misleading or false or not adequately/scientifically substantiated. Photo: MintPremium
The longest list of complaints belonged to the personal and healthcare categories where the product or service advertisements were either misleading or false or not adequately/scientifically substantiated. Photo: Mint

New Delhi: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has sought changes in advertisements plugging 84 brands, including Amul butter, Livon Hair Gain, eBay and Hindustan Unilever Ltd’s water purifier Pureit Ultima, saying they shouldn’t be published or telecast if they weren’t amended.

The council upheld complaints against all but 11 of the advertisements against which it received complaints in August.

In a statement on Friday, ASCI’s consumer complaints council said the maximum number of complaints were made against products and services in the personal and healthcare category, followed by education.

“We have given them 10 days to modify, drop the ad or seek a review with ASCI’s complaints council," said Shweta Purandare, secretary general, ASCI.

ASCI is the self-regulatory body that monitors all advertising. It addresses complaints received from consumers and the industry against advertisements that violate the ASCI code and are false, misleading, indecent, illegal or lead to unsafe practices.

In the food category, Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF) has been asked to pull out its advertisement for Amul butter.

“The product packaging of the Amul 500gms butter pack shows a food pyramid with cereals, veggies and fruits at the bottom of the pyramid while Amul Butter is at the top. It further claims that butter tops the food triangle which is misleading by implication as it implies butter to be the best among other food items as shown on the pack," the complaints council said. GCMMF executives could not be reached for comment.

A biscuits commercial by Saj Food Products Pvt. Ltd features characters from the Mahabharata and shows Kunti asking her son Yudhishthir to share with his brothers whatever he’s brought. Yudhishthir angrily agrees to share his wife Draupadi, but refuses to part with Top biscuits. The ad is demeaning to women and derides them, ASCI concluded.

Among consumer durables, at least two water purifier brands have been asked to alter misleading commercials—Pureit Ultima and TTK Prestige Ltd’s Prestige LifeStraw.

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd has been asked to change its television commercial for the Swift hatchback. The advertisement shows visuals of the Swift taking dangerous turns at high speed, which are enjoyed by a father and child duo who do a high five. “This creates an impression of showing a dangerous practice and manifests a disregard for safety, by implication," the statement added.

The longest list of complaints belonged to the personal and healthcare categories where the product or service advertisements were either misleading or false or not adequately/scientifically substantiated.

ASCI upheld 41 complaints against products and services promising cures for cancer, diabetes, sexual problems, hair fall and alcoholism, among other things.

A complaint against Livon Hair Gain from Marico Ltd was also upheld as its ad claims to stop hair fall within 90 days. “The super in the advertisement was misleading by ambiguity," the ASCI statement said. Marico Ltd declined to comment on the issue.

E-commerce website eBay’s advertisement claimed to have an online promotional offer of 20% off (discount) on purchase of a product subject to a maximum limit of 3,000 on using a given coupon code. ASCI said the ad was misleading as it did not mention that the offer was on a “first-come, first served" basis.

E-commerce marketplace, eBay India said it was extremely conscious of its responsibility towards consumers. “Despite furnishing all appropriate information as required by ASCI and extending the promotion to ensure consumers got an opportunity to participate, we are disappointed with ASCI’s decision. We will continue to act in the best interest of our consumers, " said a spokesperson.

Shrutika Verma and Suneera Tandon contributed to this story.

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Published: 01 Nov 2014, 12:28 AM IST
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