ASA Adjudication on Amber-Teething-Necklaces.co.uk
Amber-Teething-Necklaces.co.uk
Date:
10 October 2012
Media:
Internet (on own site)
Sector:
Retail
Number of complaints:
1
Complaint Ref:
A12-204792
Ad
Claims on www.amber-teething-necklaces.co.uk promoted amber teething necklaces. Text on the "Questions & Answers" page was sub-headed "Facts" and stated "Amber stores static electricity, named elektron by the ancient Greeks. Elektron evolved into the English. Amber is warm against the skin ..." Further text was sub-headed "What research has been done on Amber?" and stated "The active ingredient in Baltic amber is succinic acid, which was analysed by the pioneer of modern bacteriology and Nobel-prize winner Robert Koch (1886). He confirmed its positive influences and discovered that there is no risk of the accumulation of surplus amounts of succinic acid in the human organism. Recent scientific research has also proved that succinic acid has a very positive influence on the human organism, it strengthens the body, improves immunity, the course of energy-related processes and the balance of acids. Current research shows that the micronization of amber improves its assimilation by the stress-weakened organism of the contemporary man. The unfavorable [sic] environmental conditions prevailing today block the natural flow of energy-related processes in cells. Blocks affect cellular metabolism and significantly weaken the immune system, but the natural energy of amber is able to stimulate its renewal.
Issue
The complainant challenged whether the following claims were misleading and could be substantiated:
1. "Amber stores static electricity", because they understood it could donate electrons but did not store electricity;
2. "Succinic acid has a very positive influence on the human organism, ilt [sic] strengthens the body, improves immunity";
3. "Current research shows that the micronization of amber improves its assimilation by the stress-weakened organism of the contemporary man"; and
4. "The unfavorable environmental conditions prevailing today block the natural flow of energy-related processes in cells. Blocks affect cellular metabolism and significantly weaken the immune system, but the natural energy of amber is able to stimulate its renewal".
CAP Code (Edition 12)
Response
1. – 4. Amber-Teething-Necklaces.co.uk said the claims were well-known facts about amber and supporting information could be found all over the Internet.
Assessment
1. – 4. Upheld
The ASA noted that the advertiser had not provided any detail as to where supporting evidence could be found online, nor what form that documentation took. We considered that the ad's claims implied that the amber in the amber teething necklaces stored static electricity and provided health benefits, such as strengthening the body and immune system. Because we had not seen any evidence in support of those claims, we concluded that they were misleading.
The claims breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 3.1 (Misleading advertising), 3.7 (Substantiation), 3.11 (Exaggeration) and 12.1 (Medicines, medical devices, health-related products and beauty products).
Action
The claims must not appear again in their current form.
