False advertising in Singapore’s wellness industry on the rise

Misleading claims on beauty and wellness advertisements have come under the scrutiny of the ASAS, with seven firms ordered to withdraw their advertisements in the first eight months of this year.  This is a rise from 2009 and 2008, where three and four ads were removed respectively.

Calling this trend “worrisome”, executive director Seah Seng Choon of Singapore’s consumer watchdog, the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE), says the rise in indiscriminate advertising could be attributed to the companies trying their best to attract increasingly wary and reluctant customers. In recent years, Singapore’s beauty and wellness industry has taken a hit as several spa chains suddenly shut down, leaving thousands of customers who had signed up for packages with no recovery of their money.

Tan Sze Wee, chairman of ASAS says most of the companies who run afoul of Singapore’s advertising guidelines are “new entrants trying to differentiate themselves”. The guidelines state broadly that advertisements should steer clear of scare tactics that exploit the public, and be legal, decent, honest and truthful. Claims that cannot be substantiated, such as reducing risks of medical conditions and burning a certain amount of calories, should not be made.

A spokesperson from ASAS said that the offending ads were created both in-house by the salons and advertising agencies, but would not disclose numbers or details.