ASCI upholds 185 out of 230 complaints in March

The maximum violations were in the health and personal care category.

ASCI's (Advertising Standard Council of India) Consumer Complaints Council (CCC), a self-regulatory industry body, found the claims in 81 health and personal care product or service advertisements to be either misleading or false or not adequately/scientifically substantiated and hence violating ASCI's code.

Most of the complaints were in the health and personal care category (81), followed by education (57) and others (47). Some of the health care products or services advertisements also contravened the provisions of the Drug & Magic Remedies Act in addition to violating the ASCI code.

Some of the companies that found themselves in this list include Zee Laboratories, MedSpa, L'Oreal India (L'Oreal Absolut Lipidium), Marico (Hair & Care), Deep Ayurveda, Herbal Life Clinic, Dr. Batra's Homeopathy, VLCC Healthcare (Waist & Tummy Trim treatment) and VLCC Healthcare (Slim Sonic), Piolet Capsule, Nipcos, Global Hospitals and Lifespan Diabetes & Cardiometabolic Clinic among others.

Under the education category, 57 advertisers were found to have unsubstantiated claims. The companies include SCIT College of IT & Management, CL Educate, Karim's IAS Study Circle, Seed Infotech, The Sagar School, ICS Coaching Centre, Calcutta Business School, Asian School of Business, CLAT Possible, International Institute of Hotel Management, Nirwans Charitable Trust (SN College of Nursing), Telly Soft Service, Educational Mission of Information Technology, British Learning and Accessories and Radian IAS Academy.

In the print and broadcast categories, the defaulters include TV Today Network (Headlines Today), Times Television Network (Movies Now), Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing, Malayala Manorama (MMN Manorama News) and Madhyamam Broadcasting (Media One TV) among others.

The e-commerce and teleshopping category mentioned five ads that contravene ASCI's code. The companies include Telebrands India, Naaptol Online Shopping, India Webportal, Pisces Eservices and Trendsutra Platform Services.

In the food and beverages category, the companies which contravened ASCI's code include GlaxoSmithKline Healthcare, Parle Products, Today Tea, Modi Naturals, Cremica Agro Food Products and TKG Food Industries among others.

In the others category, ads from Meenakshi Constructions, The Park Hotels, Tata Motors, Hindustan Unilever, Lodha Developers, Godrej Consumer Products, SpiceJet, Kent RO System and Bharti Airtel, were found to have contravened ASCI guidelines.