The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has found that companies grossly
exaggerate efficiency of their products. “This is number one reason for upholding
complaints (against companies),” a press release of ASCI revealed on Thursday.
The release pointed out that 193 of the total 290 complaints against advertisements
were upheld by ASCI’s Consumer Complaints Council (CCC). While gross exaggeration
of product efficiency was the main reason for complaints, it was followed by grievances
against violation of Drugs and Remedies (DMR) Act and Drugs and Cosmetics (D&C)
Rules.
The other reason for consumers being upset was failure of companies in providing
substantial facts and figures in support of claims made in their advertisements, which
were also misleading.
Given here is the entire text of the ASCI Press Release:

Mumbai, May 10, 2018: In February 2018, ASCI’s Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) upheld complaints against 193 advertisements out of the total of 290 advertisements that were evaluated by the CCC.
 
A total of advertisements were picked up by ASCI’s Suo Moto surveillance and objections against advertisements were upheld. Of the 103 advertisements complained against by the general public or by the industry members, complaints against 30 advertisements were upheld by the CCC. Out of the total 193 advertisements against which complaints were upheld, 154 belonged to healthcare sector, 18 to education sector, eight to the food & beverages category, two to personal care and 11 were from the ‘others’ category.
 
Gross exaggeration of product efficacy was the number one reason for upholding complaints, followed by the violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act (DMR Act) and the Drugs and Cosmetics (D&C) Rules. The other reasons were failure to provide substantial facts and figures to support claims and delivering advertisements which were misleading by ambiguity and / or by implication.
 
Among the various complaints, CCC observed that an advertisement was encouraging binging or excessive consumption of a snacking product. A claim regarding “instant” result post consumption of a fast absorbing product was considered to be misleading. Similarly, claim by a leading food company to enhance IQ, was inadequately substantiated.An advertisement by a mattress company featuring celebrities making a quantitative claim that less than six hours of sleep drains 40% brain energy was considered to be misleading.
 
‘’FSSAI recently renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ASCI as a reflection of its successful association in the first year. The MoU gives ASCI a suo moto monitoring mandate to co-regulate and curb misleading advertisements in F&B sector. This association has helped us to augment our efforts in curtailing false F&B advertisements” said Abanti Sankaranarayanan, Chairman ASCI