ASA Adjudication on Direct & Specialised Distribution Company Ltd

Ad

Two catalogue ads for anti-limescale products:

a. one ad, for Magnetic Tap Nozzles, stated " ... Limestone free, softer water - on tap! ... limescale on the washing up and in the washing machine and kettle, dry skin and the way soap doesn't form properly ... this easy to instal [sic] nozzle screws on to all threaded taps and utilises an integral magnet to create a magnetic field ... modifies the structure of limestone and prevents it being deposited. The results: less scaling and furring up, prolonged life for appliances and softer gentler water. Tested and certified ... ";

b. another ad, for the Easydisc Limescale Remover, stated "Sparkling clean dishes and no more limescale! Called Easydisc it creates an anti static magnetic field letting limescale rinse away rather than leave a deposit. Ecologically friendly (no chemicals are required), it's made from stainless steel and even tackles existing limescale. The result: your dishes and table ware recover their 'brand new' brilliance ... ".

Issue

The complainant challenged the efficacy of the products described in ads (a) and (b).

CAP Code (Edition 11)

Response

Direct & Specialised Distribution Company Ltd (DSDC) provided a copy of test reports, performed by two different independent laboratories, for both products as substantiation for their claims.

Assessment

Upheld

The ASA took independent expert advice on the substantiation provided by DSDC: we understood that the theories of how these devices were supposed to work were not well understood or universally accepted by the scientific community. The expert said the Magnetic Tap Nozzles were not capable of softening water and explained that the test protocol and results submitted for the efficacy of the Magnetic Tap Nozzles were rudimentary, mainly subjective and excluded any long-term effects. The expert explained that two sets of tests had been provided for the Easydisc Magnetic Water Conditioner (EasyDisc). He explained that they had been analysed subjectively and that the tests did not demonstrate scale reduction in a dishwasher and had not proven conclusively that the positive effect described, greater shininess of glass and plateware, was the result of the EasyDisc. We concluded that DSDCs submissions were insufficient to prove the efficacy of either the EasyDisc or the Magnetic Tap Nozzles.

The ads breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation), 3.2 (Division of opinion) and 7.1 (Truthfulness).

Action

We told DSDC to remove all claims from their ads that implied proven efficacy, or implied a universal acceptance of the theories of action, for the products. We told them to take advice from the CAP Copy Advice team before distributing future marketing material for either of the products.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)