BigFlex Lifescience Private Limited - Bigflex Apple Cider Vinegar

Recommendation: Upheld | Medium: Suo Motu - NAMS (TAMS)

In the absence of a written response along with documents for substantiation on or before the prescribed due date, the ASCI Secretariat considered this complaint exparte. Claims, “Controls Appetite”, “Manage/Reduce Weight”, and “Stops Indigestion”, were not substantiated with clinical evidence or with clinical third party test reports for product efficacy to prove that the product controls appetite, manages or reduces weight and stops Indigestion, as claimed. The source for the claims is not indicated in the advertisement. The claims are misleading by exaggeration and are likely to lead to widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers. The influencer [Niha Naaz] is a health influencer promoting the product which makes claims related to health and nutrition. She has not furnished details of her qualification and registration/certification such as a medical degree, or be a certified nutritionist, dietician, physiotherapist, psychologist etc. The influencer has also not disclosed her qualifications and registration/certification details upfront in the advertisement. In the absence of a disclosure label mentioning these details at the start of the advertisement, the advertisement is misleading by omission and exploits consumers' lack of knowledge. This advertisement is in contravention of Chapter I, Clauses 1.1, 1.2, 1.4 and 1.5 of the ASCI Code, and Clauses 2, 2 (1) and 2(2) of Addendum II For Health and Financial Influencers of ASCI Guidelines for Influencer Advertising in Digital Media, and ASCI Guidelines on Advertising of Foods & Beverages (F&B). This complaint was UPHELD by Secretariat.