The website used unsubstantiated therapeutic claims in an effort to sell teething necklaces, said the ASA
Jewellery website misleads consumers
Posted May 28, 2013 | By Emily Mobbs • Former Editor
Claims made by an online retailer about the therapeutic benefits of its
amber necklaces have been rejected and deemed as misleading to
consumers.
The complaint raised to the New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) stated that the website, babyamberteething.co.nz, used unsubstantiated therapeutic claims in an effort to sell teething necklaces made with amber beads.
In addition, it said that technical scientific language was used in the advertisement, which could exploit a lack of knowledge from the consumer.
The business also operates an Australian-based website, babyamberteething.au.com, though, at the time of publication Jeweller was unaware of any Australian complaints about the website.
Claims appearing on the website include, that amber is “a great pain reliever for babies when first teeth are growing”, that it “drops the body temperature and calms the baby down”, and it “is good for breathing”.
The New Zealand authority concluded that the statements reached “the threshold to require substantiation from the advertiser.”
According to the ASA, it attempted to contact the advertiser multiple times, but has failed to receive a response. Consequently, the complaint has been upheld.
"As no response from the advertiser [babyamberteething.co.nz] was received, the Complaints Board held the advertisement was misleading and had not been prepared with the high standard of social responsibility required for products with intended therapeutic use,” the ASA said.
It added that the website also breached a number of principles in the Therapeutic Products Advertising Code.
ASA chief executive Hilary Souter told Jeweller that the authority would continue to make attempts to contact the online retailer, but the process would be time-consuming and challenging given that the business was based in Lithuania, Northern Europe.
She added that in some circumstances where the ASA was unable to gain a response from a website or company representative, it would escalate the case to another agency, like the Commerce Commission or Medsafe. Souter said it was too early to comment on whether this particular complaint would require such action.
A similar complaint about another website selling amber necklaces was reportedly settled when statements about the product having pain relieving qualities were removed.
Baby Amber Teething also has dedicated websites for Canada and the United Kingdom.
The business was contacted for comment, but at the time of publication had not responded.
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