Amitabh Bachchan and Flipkart face legal action for misleading advertisement

The actor is being called out for his alleged fallacious endorsements, that could hamper the livelihoods of ordinary sellers of India.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has filed a complaint with the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) against Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan and e-commerce giant Flipkart for an advertisement that grossly undermined the character of traders. 

On the 2nd of October, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) released a statement denouncing actor Amitabh Bachchan for his participation in a "partial" and "deceptive" advertisement promoting the e-commerce platform Flipkart.

While Bachchan appeared in several brief advertisements featured on Flipkart's YouTube channel, the one that stirred controversy related to the mobile deals presented by the platform in its forthcoming 'Big Billion Days' sale. The ad has since been removed from Flipkart's YouTube channel, in which Bachchan was purportedly heard stating that the mobile deals offered by the e-commerce portal were exclusive and unavailable at retail outlets.

CAIT national president B C Bhartia and secretary general Praveen Khandelwal expressed deep regret that Bachchan, despite his significant endorsement fee, participated in a misleading Flipkart advertisement. They emphasised that this misleading portrayal seriously endangers the local small shops, adversely affecting the livelihoods of ordinary sellers nationwide.

Bhartia and Khandelwal censured Bachchan's conduct, articulating their dismay at his endorsement of deceptive, unfounded, and fallacious assertions. They decried his association with a foreign multinational corporation notorious for its consistent flouting of regulations and ethical improprieties, contending that such actions demeaned the esteemed retailers of the nation.

The trade leaders observed that the Ministry of Consumer Affairs had recently implemented a policy delineating the parameters of deceptive and misleading advertising. Evidently, the contentious advertisement breached the Ministry's stipulated guidelines, thereby falling under the purview of the CCPA. Consequently, CAIT has brought this matter to the attention of the CCPA, intending to formally lodge their complaint against the misleading advertisement.

Prior to CAIT raising its objection against Bachchan's advertisement, the All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA) rebuked the actor for the "deceptive" endorsement of Flipkart.

Representing 150,000 mobile retailers, the association called upon prominent smartphone brands to release either a collective or individual statement in prominent news media outlets, clarifying that the contentious ad's content is factually inaccurate.