If you sell products or services, you need to be able to back up the claims you make about them. A new video from the Commerce Commission gives tips for traders on false, misleading or unsubstantiated claims and how to avoid making them.
A new video from the Commerce Commission provides advice on how traders can avoid making false, misleading or unsubstantiated claims – especially when consumers can’t verify those claims themselves. Since 2014, the Fair Trading Act has specified the need for businesses to be able to back up all claims made about their products or services.
Claims about food products, like ‘free range’ and ‘organic', and country of origin claims like ‘made (or grown) in New Zealand’ are examples of what the Commerce Commission calls credence claims, and they’ve become a focus for the Commission. Consumers often pay a premium price for these products.
“If those claims are misleading, they are harmful to consumers because consumers may pay a price premium for characteristics of a product that do not exist. They’re also harmful to competition because they give an unfair advantage to traders who make claims without backing them up. Finally, they can have an impact on New Zealand’s reputation with tourists and in export markets,” says Commissioner Anna Rawlings.
Unsubstantiated representation(external link) — Commerce Commission
Have a look at the statements below. If you make claims like these on your website or marketing they must be accurate at the time you make them, and they must continue to be accurate. That means you need to keep your website up to date.
Our techs are all registered and qualified
Are all your techs really registered and qualified? What about that new trainee? Is his or her qualification the appropriate one for the trade or business?
We are the only providers of this service in the city!
What’s your basis for making this claim? Have you commissioned research to show this is accurate?
We are the cheapest – We are the fastest
You need to take care when making claims like these about the service you provide. They relate to fact more than opinion, and they need to be accurate.
However, consumers would realise that a claim like ‘the fastest installer the world has ever seen’ is an obvious exaggeration, and that would be considered puffery. Consumers are unlikely to be misled by these types of claims.
HALF PRICE!
Be particularly careful when making pricing claims about the service you provide. Pricing claims generate a lot of complaints to the Commission.
This company was just outstanding. I can’t recommend them highly enough.
Did a genuine independent customer say this, and did they genuinely say it about your company? Testimonials and reviews must be accurate and not give a misleading impression.
Trusted, unbiased information
Is there anything you aren’t disclosing which might make claims like this inaccurate? Do you have any commercial relationships which are relevant to that sort of claim?
Pricing claims [PDF,265KB](external link) — Commerce Commission
Guidance on reviews and endorsements(external link) - International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network
A health supplement company and its owner were fined $526,500 for breaching the Fair Trading Act after they claimed bee pollen was New Zealand-made, when in fact it was produced and processed in China.
Cases against multiple companies who made claims about ‘pure alpaca’ or ‘100% cashmere’ products, which actually contained little or no such fibres, have resulted in fines just over $1.5 million.
A heat pump supplier was fined $310,000 for making unsubstantiated or misleading claims about the energy efficiency and performance of some of its heat pumps.
Contact the Commerce Commission on 0800 943 600, or email contact@comcom.govt.nz