How false advertisements are affecting Consumers?

“How false advertisements are affecting Consumers”.

Author: Mr. Pushpesh, Amity University, Lucknow.

Advertisements are generally designed to target the cluster of the audience rather than an individual. It is a type of activity related to the commercial area, advertisements play a key for Businesses to  promote their products and services among their targeted group of audience to increase their sale for the purpose of their growth and to enhance their brand value,It also helps in informing and educating their targeted customers regarding the products and it’s features and other relevant information. Advertising falls under marketing communications. It helps in creating a demand for a product & plays a vital role in a business to survive in this competitive environment.

Advertising is also considered as a source of income for numbers of individuals. Advertising budget taking into consideration the various cost involved. But usually, it ignores the differences exists among the individuals in our society, the best example- Stereotypical image of Indian ladies. It is also blamed for the customer. It is very much vital for businesses to be customer-oriented but the number of business activities is running only with the objective of making good profits. With the aim of increasing the profit they are manipulating their customers with False Advertisements.

False Advertisements affects in negative ways-

* It leads consumers to make unknowing decisions-:

                 It is very much important to reveal the whole truth through advertisements as it helps a customer to make the best decisions for themselves. Otherwise, they may waste money on those products & services that can’t provide what they are looking for. It is very much important to eradicate all those activities which lead to the exploitation of consumers.

* It is the moral duty of advertisers to practice the code of ethics,

           At the promoting the products, The role of advertisement should be to supervise the consumer in making a worthful decision instead of blackmailing and threatening them to so that they buy their products forcefully.

• Adverse effect on business 

  As per today’s business concept customer satisfaction is the most vital thing, the customer received the satisfaction after using the products and services, therefore, received the quality of services and commitment is gradually important for the customer because it positively affects on the overall performance and profits of a business. Employees engaged with a particular business activity may also suffer after declination of business growth and profit.

*Rumours from mouth 

     Customers feedback related to the particular products and services is the most important source of information for new customers who are planning to buy particular goods and that feedback has a strong impact on sales.

False advertisement force the customers to believe that they are getting an excellent and unique deal & saving money. In general, any statement attached to the advertisement of good must be true, if the product claims that there is “50% more” within the packaging, there must be an increase of 50%.

Whenever we buy any product from Flipkart or Amazon most of the time we first check reviews on the product. Our product buying decision also based on existing customers’ feedback and what they think about the product after using it.

Eg. of false advertisement

•Advertisements for the fairness cream, the use of creams assure instant fairness, it provides fake hope and misleads the consumer.

•”two-week challenge” to lose extra inches from your tummy area, after taking the challenge you have been disappointed with the brand’s false promise, then nothing to worry more as such brands can be held liable for misleading their customers.

Their are a number of Regulatory agencies working for the protection of consumer and safeguards their rights and interest, examples are Indian Broadcasting Foundation and Broadcasting Content Complaints Council, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, News Broadcasters Association and News Broadcasting Standards Authority, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, etc. In one of the most landmark case of humdard dwakhana v. Union of India, the court held that Advertisements are not included in freedom of speech they are part of commercial speech.

Consumer Protection Act,1986 helps consumers seek redressal against any exploitation.court can pass an order or warn the advertiser to discontinue the advertisement strategy for exploiting the interest of the customer or can pass compensation for any loss or suffering caused for unfair trade practice under section 14 of the Act.