NEW DELHI: Centre will soon formulate guidelines to deal with “health-washing”, amid a growing trend of companies making misleading claims to promote their products as more healthy by advertising that they contain multigrains, natural extracts, and are sugar free. In several cases, such products cost more.
Consumer affairs secretary Nidhi Khare said Monday that the issue of “health-washing” has come to the department’s notice, and it will start working on formulating norms to ensure consumers do not get misled.
She said guidelines for prohibiting “green-washing” and misleading advertisements by coaching centres are in the final stage, and will be released soon. The department is also carrying out consultation on prohibition of surrogate advertisements to protect consumers.
“Green washing” refers to companies or entities making misleading claims about how environmentally friendly their products, services, or operations are, while “surrogate ads” are marketing techniques that indirectly promote brands and products, such as tobacco and alcohol, which are banned from advertising.
There have been instances of alcohol and gutkha manufacturers promoting their brands through mineral water, playing cards and music CDs, and paan masala.
These violations fall under misleading advertisements of the Consumer Protection Act. As per the law, resorting to misleading advertisements can attract a penalty of up to Rs 50 lakh and a maximum of five years in jail.
Talking to reporters on the achievements of the first 100 days of the Modi govt, Khare said the department also wants e-commerce companies to stop selling banned and unsafe items through their websites.
It has started nudging them to sign a “safety pledge” to stop promotion and selling of such items through their portals.
As per the draft pledge, e-commerce companies will be expected to recall any hazardous or unsafe items being sold on their platform within 36 hours of being informed. “They also have to cooperate with government officials to identify the seller who is selling unsafe goods,” Khare said.
The department referred to global best practices such as in the European Union, Japan, Australia, South Korea and Canada while preparing the draft norms. Khare said a panel with members from major e-commerce platforms, voluntary consumer associations, industry bodies and national law universities is expected to submit its report in two weeks.
Consumer affairs secretary Nidhi Khare said Monday that the issue of “health-washing” has come to the department’s notice, and it will start working on formulating norms to ensure consumers do not get misled.
She said guidelines for prohibiting “green-washing” and misleading advertisements by coaching centres are in the final stage, and will be released soon. The department is also carrying out consultation on prohibition of surrogate advertisements to protect consumers.
“Green washing” refers to companies or entities making misleading claims about how environmentally friendly their products, services, or operations are, while “surrogate ads” are marketing techniques that indirectly promote brands and products, such as tobacco and alcohol, which are banned from advertising.
There have been instances of alcohol and gutkha manufacturers promoting their brands through mineral water, playing cards and music CDs, and paan masala.
These violations fall under misleading advertisements of the Consumer Protection Act. As per the law, resorting to misleading advertisements can attract a penalty of up to Rs 50 lakh and a maximum of five years in jail.
Talking to reporters on the achievements of the first 100 days of the Modi govt, Khare said the department also wants e-commerce companies to stop selling banned and unsafe items through their websites.
It has started nudging them to sign a “safety pledge” to stop promotion and selling of such items through their portals.
As per the draft pledge, e-commerce companies will be expected to recall any hazardous or unsafe items being sold on their platform within 36 hours of being informed. “They also have to cooperate with government officials to identify the seller who is selling unsafe goods,” Khare said.
The department referred to global best practices such as in the European Union, Japan, Australia, South Korea and Canada while preparing the draft norms. Khare said a panel with members from major e-commerce platforms, voluntary consumer associations, industry bodies and national law universities is expected to submit its report in two weeks.