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

Grey Technology Ltd t/a Gtech
- Upheld in part
- Newspaper, Internet (website content)
- 07 April 2021
Two newspaper ads and a website ad for a vacuum cleaner were banned for implying the product could completely eliminate dust clouds without holding adequate evidence to prove this.
DSG Retail Ltd t/a Currys PC World
- Upheld
- Internet (on own site), Television
- 24 February 2021
Two TV ads for Currys PC World were banned for misleadingly implying that consumers were able to purchase a TV for half price when this was not the case.
Swann Communications (Europe) Ltd t/a Swann
- Not upheld
- Internet (on own site), Website (own site)
- 29 April 2020
Reviews on a website for a surveillance product company were genuine and unlikely to mislead.

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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