ASCI upholds 57 of 65 complaints for November, 2013

The Health and Personal care category continues to lead with the highest number of complaints received.

The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has upheld complaints against 57 out of 65 advertisements in November, 2013 for sending across misleading information.

The CCC found the following claims in Health and Personal Care product or service ads of 44 advertisers, released in the press to be either misleading, false or not adequately/scientifically substantiated and hence violating ASCI's Code.

Some of the healthcare and personal care brands that have come under ASCI's scanner include Ambic Ayurved, Amba Health Clinic, Anmol Ayur Clinic, Ayurvedik Vikas Sansthan, Chaitanya Hospital, Dhanvantari Super Speciality Ayurvedic Hospital & Panch Center, Hindustan Unilever's Pepsodent Germi Check + Expert Protection Pro Complete Toothbrush, Ranbaxy Laboratories' Revital, Slim Care Herbal Products and others.

The ad for HUL's Pepsodent Germi Check + Expert Protection Pro Complete Toothbrush claimed 100 per cent proven inter-dental cleaning and also claimed complete cleaning ("Purisafai"). CCC has upheld the complaint against the ad as no information could verify the claims.

In the Education sector, the complaints against Rameshwaram Vishwa Vidyapeeth University and Kendriya Vishwavidyala University were upheld. CCC concluded that the websites' claim of the 'Universities being accredited by the British Accreditation Council' was not substantiated and was misleading. The websites' claims contravened Guidelines for Advertising of Educational Institutions and Programs as well as Chapters I.1 and I.4 of the ASCI Code.

In the Food and Beverages section, complaints against Pizza Hut, Bisleri Vedica, United Biscuits and Saboo Sodium Choloro were upheld.

In the Auto sector, CCC upheld complaints against the ad of Maruti Alto 800 and TVS Star City.

Other sectors where the complaints against the brands were upheld were online ads, consumer durables, and others.

During November 2013, CCC also received eight complaints against brands in different sectors, which were not upheld as they did not violate ASCI's guidelines.

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) was established in 1985 and works to ensure the protection of the interests of consumers. Its main objective is to promote responsible advertising, thus enhancing the public's confidence in advertising. ASCI's National Advertising Monitoring Service has been instrumental in rigorously tracking most of the advertisements being released across print and television.