Complaints against 95 advertisements in December upheld: ad watchdog

The advertising industry watchdog on Wednesday said its Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) has upheld complaints against 95 out of 125 advertisements in the categories of healthcare, food and beverages, education,personal care and others in December, 2016 for either misleading campaigns or not able to substantiate their claim.

"Out of 95 advertisements against which complaints were upheld, 58 belonged to the healthcare category, 10 in the food and beverages, followed by nine in personal care, four to the education category and 14 advertisements from other categories," the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) said in a statement.

According to the council, it found claims of 58 advertisements in healthcare products or services to be either "misleading or false or not adequately/scientifically substantiated" and hence violating its Code.

"Some of the health care products or services advertisements also contravened provisions of the Drug & Magic Remedies Act," it said.

The CCC found advertisements of educational institutes by four different advertisers were "not substantiated" and violated ASCI guidelines for advertising of educational institutions.

In the personal care segment, the council upheld complaint against the advertisement of Emami Ltd's Fair and Handsome for contravening "the guidelines of advertising for skin lightening or fairness improvement products".

Along with other advertisements in the food and beverages segment, the council upheld complaint against the advertisement of Heinz India P. Ltd's Complan Nutri Grow because claim was "not adequately substantiated in the age group of subjects for whom it is meant".

The council also said Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd's advertisement claim- "Best 4G Network with lowest data rates globally" -was "misleading by ambiguity and implication of it being among the best in the world".

Similarly, the advertising industry watchdog also said the advertisement's claim of Hewlett Packard India for its Ink Tank Printing was "misleading".

--IANS

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