davidinspain

Seems everytime I switch on the TV in the morning,this is being advertised.Given that they don't work http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20669080
is there no consumer law here that prevents bogus ads?

Pocaloca

Ho ho, there are thousands of things advertised that don't work! Apparently I can buy magic creams that will stop me getting wrinkles, get rid of cellulite, make my waistline slimmer, even stop me losing my memory ...

I think (but I may be wrong) that only medicines are controlled by advertising standards. There was a big fuss a few years ago about herbal therapy products being reclassified as medicines, because then they would have to be proved to work.

Then there's the probiotic yoghurt, friendly-bacteria nonsense, which is now known to be codswallop and they aren't allowed to say that any more.

So to answer your question I guess not, until someone raises a lawsuit!

Fredbargate

What about the " Sale of Goods Act"


in Uk

Dick Dasterdly

Shocking what some of these companies get away with.
I recall some controlled tests on skin creams being conducted by medical experts a few years back and the results carefully monitored and shown on TV.
Far from doing any good the majority were shown to do harm, most especially the most expensive ones selling under famous brand names.
Never ceases to amaze me the millions that women waste on totally useless products whilst these global company directors must be laughing all the way to the bank.
Even more worrying now is the seeing the guys follow similar trends.

I didn't know about the probiotic yoghurt findings, but no great surprise anyway.

With regard to mossie deterents, Deet is widely accepted to be the best of the rub on cream types, however I followed the results of some scientific tests on them a while back and most were only effective up to half an hour in hot humid conditions while Deet was only marginally better at up to about 45 minutes as I recall, which pretty well matches my own experiences.

I spent quite a lot of time in mossie affected areas of Sweden and the only effective means I came up with was wearing a beekeepers outfit most of the day, ....not a lot of fun as it does get pretty hot up there at times in Summer.

Fredbargate

Not useless Dick. They just bring forward the onset of wrinkles so these companies can sell women more shite.

The use of the ingredients in these products in contact with skin would in the workplace be banned by Elf & Safety

amideislas

Lots of people must be buying it. Otherwise how would they pay for those hour-long infomercials?

jimenato

The ASA will challenge any advert (including on a website) which make claims for which there is not 'robust' evidence. Robust doesn't include testimonials and anecdotes.

Here is a list of recent rulings.

There is a whole section on what Alternative Therapy providers can and can't say.

I asked them to look at a website the other day that was selling Magnetic Water Conditioners that claimed to reduce lime deposits in your boiler (I needed a new boiler in the UK and the fitter said the guarantee depended on one being fitted). They are investigating that and, for good measure, a claim on the same website that fitting a magnet to the fuel pipe of your car would save fuel.

amideislas

We have one of those, but someone gave it to us, I didn't pay anything for it.

But yes, a lot of fitters say it's important to have one. Sounds like another load of hooey to me.

jackytoo

Can you remember when everyone had those straps hanging from the back of cars. I forget what they were about. Then there are those magnetic bangles which some people swear by (mind over matter). Every market on the CDS seems to have a stall manned by ex-pats selling them. Plus the herbalife stuff

I have been saved from buying expensive face creams because of a sensitive skin. Years ago I bought some 170€ pot of La Praire, 2 days later my face felt tight, day later worse and it started to crack up, looked as if I had been scalded. Couldn't go out for a week! I use a couple of Clinique products and otherwise a little vaseline or E-45 cream.

Pocaloca

You mean Power Balance bangles? the Junta de Andalucia actually fined the manufacturers a while ago for false advertising, but it was some paltry amount, they only had to sell a few more to half a dozen deluded bimbos and they'd get their money back.

On my face I just use Mercadona SP30 moisturiser, less than 5€. It's prolonged exposure to the sun that does the most damage to your skin. It makes me laugh to see people desperately trying to get a tan them slopping overpriced goo on afterwards ... too late darling, too late!

Pocaloca

The consumer protection agency in Spain is called FACUA, they are an NGO with no legal powers but they can raise denuncias. They have some good campaigns, including this one against miracle cures, you might be interested in joining?!

FACUA - LUCHA CONTRA LAS MENTIRAS DE LOS PRODUCTOS MILAGRO

Pocaloca

And having rummaged around the FACUA website a bit more, I found this, so hopefully we won't have those adverts for much longer!

FOLLOWING THE ALLEGATIONS BY FACUA
Catalonia opens proceedings against two firms that sell ultrasonic mosquito repellent
"These are the companies located in Barcelona, Uriach-Aquilea OTC and Nikidom, who sell appliances from Radarfarm and Love Bug. FACUA warns that numerous studies have shown their inefficiency.

FACUA informs that numerous scientific studies put to protest that the ultrasound devices don’t have repellent effects. The association asked for them to be taken off the market if their effectiveness is not demonstrated."

jackytoo

Someone I knew in marbella fell for lots of cons. She had the patches on her feet that were supposed to withdraw all the toxins from your body One claim that as the toxins vanished so would her spare tyre

She also sent her Husband to a new way to stop smoking. Well advertised on the coast as appearing on Richard and Judy show!! He had to wear some headgear wired up to a computer, smoke 3 cigs and blow in a tube which was also (allegedly) fed into the computer. This was supposed to neutralize his addiction. Think it cost about 150€. Needless to say he was still smoking. They offered him another session at half price

She went for acupunture to cure insomnia, didn't work after loads of sessions. They explained that instead of attending once a week she should attend twice.

Pocaloca

Some people have a touching belief in the supernatural ...

jimenato

That Richard and Judy machine thingy is Bioresonance - a wonderfully whacky way to waste your money. Complete nonsense but it looks and feels all sciency - lots of buzzing and flashing lights.

Bioresonance lends itself perfectly to proper testing - makes you wonder why it hasn't been subjected to a large scale, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, peer reviewed trial doesn't it? Well no actually. the people who flog this stuff wouldn't dare because they know what the result would be and the proper scientific community wouldn't lower itself.