CELEBS GET NOTICES FOR ENDORSING ‘MISLEADING AD’ | 8 April, 2023

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has slapped notices on gaming company Lotus 365 and three celebrities, including Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Urvashi Rautela, for endorsing the company’s “misleading” advertisement. It has sought response of the firm and the celebrities before initiating action.

The CCPA took suo moto cognisance of the advertisement published in newspapers and on online platforms, which claimed that the firm was “India’s most trusted sports exchange since 2015”. The company has been asked to furnish details of proof of its claims while the celebrities endorsing it have been asked to reply, how they found that the company’s claims were correct, before endorsing them. It may be mentioned here that the consumer affairs ministry had asked celebrities to carry out “specific diligence” while endorsing products.