Burger Look Better In The Ad Than On Your Plate? KPDNHEP Wants You To Report False Advertising
Expectation VS Reality
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You’ve been there, a fast-food chain advertises their new creation with a splashy ad campaign intended to inspire unstoppable cravings. You see that juicy patty, those fresh tomatoes, and creamy sauce and you think, “It looks so good! I’m gonna try it for lunch today!”
You excitedly wait to receive your meal, but when it finally arrives, the blob of food in front of you looks nothing like the poster. You take a bite and can’t help feeling a little bit cheated.
But that’s the thing, you are being cheated
There are laws that protect consumers from this very situation, and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPNDHEP) wants you to know that.
Pengiklan dilarang menggunakan kenyataan yang keterlaluan sekiranya produk atau servis yang mereka tawarkan tidak seperti yang diiklankan. #KPDNHEP #JomAmbilTahu #iklanyangketerlaluan
Posted by KPDNHEP-Laman Rasmi on Thursday, 13 August 2020
In a post shared on their Facebook page, the ministry informed its followers that advertisers are actually prohibited from using exaggerated statements if the products or services being offered are not as advertised.
This includes exaggerated visuals and pictures of food that look nothing like the actual product.
The post goes on to say that the ministry can take action against advertisers who publish misleading information or make false representations under the Consumer Protection Act 1999 and the Trade Descriptions Act 2011, all you gotta do is submit a report of your complaint to them.
This is obviously a pretty sensitive topic affecting many people because, at the time of writing, the post has 9.3K shares and 1.4K comments.
Some notable responses from the public called for the ministry to monitor the situation themselves and take action when they see such occurrences, rather than waiting for a complaint by the public.
Many shared how they had been duped themselves. One user noted that she actually filed a complaint directly with the company, who then sent her a replacement for free. Sadly, she shared that the replacement was just the same as the original product she ordered.
However, in most of the replies, it seemed as though the individuals did not go as far as filing any formal complaints with the ministry or the company. But were resigned to their dissatisfaction of the product.
Another common occurrence of false advertising is when local business owners market their products with exaggerated health benefits. You can read more about that here.
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