Appliances, electronics and machinery

Helpful information on the advertising rules for appliances, electronics and machinery, not including phones and computers.

While there are no specific ad rules that appliances, electronics and machinery have to abide by, advertisers of these products have to stick to the general rules to ensure their ads are not misleading, harmful or offence. Social responsibility is also an important factor and safety should be at the forefront of all ads depicting electronic products and machinery.

Any protective equipment which needs to be worn when using appliances, electronics or machinery should be shown in ads for these products and the setting of the ad – i.e. where the product is being used – should also be sensible.

Advertisers should also take care not to cause confusion about a consumer’s rights, particularly in relation to guarantees, warranties and any other after-sale service or care agreements. These types of offers should always be communicated in a clear way to the audience of the ad.

It should be obvious to the consumer any significant limitations that apply to an advertised guarantee and full terms and conditions should always be available before the consumer is committed to taking up the guarantee. Furthermore, advertisers should promptly refund consumers who make valid claims under an advertised money-back guarantee and ads for appliances, electronics and machinery should not falsely claim or imply that after-sales service is available in an EEA member state in which the advertised product is not sold.

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Latest rulings

Plumbforce Direct Ltd
- Upheld
- Internet (on own site)
- 30 October 2019
A website for plumbing services was misleading and didn’t display claim limitations clearly enough.
KAT UK
- Upheld
- Internet (on own site)
- 11 September 2019
Claims on a website misleadingly implied that the company’s lantern roofs were thinner, stronger or more thermally efficient than competitor products.
DMG Media Ltd t/a The Mail on Sunday
- Upheld
- Internet (on own site)
- 17 April 2019
A national press ad and website listing for a Smart Plug, seen on 25 August 2018: a. The national press ad, seen on the front page of The Mail on Sunday, featured a bright pink background with bold, uppercase text that read “FREE* SMART PLUG”. Below that was smaller text also in uppercase that read &ldqu...
BSH Home Appliances Ltd t/a Bosch
- Not Upheld
- Internet (on own site)
- 13 March 2019
A website for Bosch, www.bosch-home.co.uk, a home electricals manufacturer seen on 22 August 2018 featured a web page for The Unlimited, a cordless stick vacuum cleaner. Towards the top of the page text over an image reel stated “Cordless, but with continuous runtime*, thanks to exchangeable battery pack and quic...

View all rulings

Appliances, electronics and machinery

Helpful information on the advertising rules for appliances, electronics and machinery, not including phones and computers.

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