100 percent Protection of Dettol leads to Court Battle

Reckitt Benckiser drags Advertising Standard Council Of India to Court against its recommendation opposing 100% germ protection Jargon

New Delhi: One of the largest British consumer health goods maker, Reckitt Benckiser, has dragged the advertising standards council of India (ASCI) to Court against its recommendation opposing the jargon of RB's brand dettol "100% germ protection".

The ASCI had passed a recommendation calling to take off the 'misleading' claims for the largest soap brand Dettol after receiving complaints from consumers. ASCI recommended that the Dettol's claim giving "100% better protection verses leading germ protection soap" was over exaggerated.

The multinational firm is aggrieved by the ASCI recommendation has decided to approach the court

"Aggrieved by ASCI's order on our Dettol bar soap television commercial which in our view was illegal procedurally and on merit, RB elected its legal remedies and approached the Hon'ble Delhi High Court seeking restraint of ASCI's order", stated Spokesperson of Reckitt Benckiser to ET.

In contrast to the RB's contention, ASCI chairman Srinivasan Swamy said, "We are here to protect the interest of the consumer. We want advertisers to be truthful and substantiate what they say; we don't want consumers to be taken for a ride.The Hon'ble High Court after hearing our submissions and that of ASCI as they were in caveat, stayed its order and further restrained ASCI from taking any consequential steps in terms thereof."

The Delhi High Court is yet to declare the final decision, though RB has got temporary stay. Whereby, both ASCI and RB spokespersons added they would not like to comment in further detail about the case since the matter is sub-judice before the court.