Advertising watchdog, Advertising Standard Council of India, has slammed Ramdev-owned Patanjali Ayurved for “false and misleading” claims in its various advertisements, particularly for hair oil and washing powder brands.
The watchdog, according to a PTI, has concluded that the Patanjali advertisements “unfairly denigrates” other products in the market.
The Customer Complaints Council (CCC) of ASCI also found faults in advertisements by Johnson & Johnson, Amazon and ITC.
In March, the CCC had reportedly received 156 complaints, of which it upheld 90 complaints.
It termed them as “false and misleading.”
The CCC found Patanjali’s advertisement claim for its product Patanjali Kesh Kanti Natural Hair Cleanser and Oil that “mineral oil is carcinogenic in nature and may cause cancer” was false and misleading by ambiguity and by gross exaggeration.
It also upheld complaints against Patanjali Ayurved’s Patanjali Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil.
“The advertisement’s claims ‘Other than Kacchi Ghani process most of the other edible refined oils and mustard oil are made using neurotoxin Hexagon solvent extraction process. To make profits at the cost of consumers’ health many companies mix cheap palm oil in mustard oil”, were not substantiated and the claims were misleading,” it said.
“The statement also unfairly denigrates other oils/ mustard oil,” the advertising watchdog added.
The advertising watchdog also upheld complaint against Patanjali Ayurved’s Patanjali Herbal Washing Powder, Cake and Dishwash Bar.
