What if an advertisement is misleading?

You can file a complaint with ASCI, the consumer forum, or CCPA. Misleading ads attract penalty up to 10 lakhs on first offence.

Misleading advertisements are a serious violation under the Consumer Protection Act. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) can take action against misleading ads with penalties up to ₹10 lakhs for the first offence and up to ₹50 lakhs for subsequent offences. The endorser of a misleading ad can also be penalized. You can take action by: filing a complaint with ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) at ascionline.in, filing a complaint with CCPA, filing a consumer complaint if you suffered loss due to a misleading ad. Misleading includes false claims about quality, quantity, standard, grade, composition, style, model, or making false promises about efficacy or usefulness of any product or service.

• Consumer Protection Act — Section 21 (CCPA powers)
• Consumer Protection Act — Section 89 (Punishment for misleading advertisements)