False And Misleading Advertisements In India

Advertisements, via both print and digital methods, act as a powerful medium for promotion of a product, brand or service. The main objective of an advertisement is to inform the target consumers of the products and services being offered, convince them into believing that their facilities are finer than the rest and maintaining awareness about their products/ services in the minds of the prospective customers. The advertisements should thus enable a person to make well informed purchase decisions.

Owing to the immense competition in the market, the consequent pressure to attract more consumers, and the constant urge of traders to increase their sales, profits and business, the advertisers often resort to false and misleading campaigns without providing any scientific or clinical data to back their claims. For example, advertisements on health care with unsubstantiated claims about curing Covid-19 or education advertisements with tall claims of job guarantees, etc.