Think twice before you move your plan ad for fat loss to a friend next time. Beauty and health brands VLCC and Kaya have been punished in Rs 3 lakh for allegedly misleading consumers’ campaigns. The Central Consumer Protection Agency (CCPA) (which plays a role in the Department of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution) has imposed fines on the VLCC to advertise through non-surgical fat-reduction programs approved by the U.S. health regulator to promote its fat-loss program.
CCPA – a national consumer rights regulator responsible for the enforcement and protection of consumer interests – also directs VLCC to strictly abide by its guidelines.
Key findings for VLCC
According to the CCPA, VLCC has published a misleading ad about “fat weight loss and weight loss” by using US-FDA-approved CoolSculpting Protisture/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/Machine/
The authorities’ actions followed the complaints and began monitoring advertising in the weight loss and beauty sectors. The investigation found that the VLCC made an exaggerated claim of weight and inch losses “in a meeting.”
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Watchdog points out that these claims “far beyond the actual approval of approved machines” and thus misleading consumers.
VLCC’s ads treat CoolSculptth as a “permanent weight loss and size reduction solution” and provide claims and statements:
- Losses up to 600g and 7cm in 1 meeting
- Permanently delete 1 size in 1 session
- A size falls within one hour
- VLCC brings you a breakthrough fat loss treatment
- Lipoliser loss in a meeting 6 cm and 400 grams
According to the CCPA, such ads give consumers a “wrong impression” to ensure permanent and significant weight loss.
In fact, the procedure is only approved for reducing local fat in a specific area and is only targeted at individuals with body mass index (BMI) under the age of 30.
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Early fines for Kaya
Prior to this, Kaya Ltd was fined the same claim, such as:
- Kaya’s non-surgical fat loss
- Kaya brings easy inch losses with coolsculpting
The CCPA found that Kaya’s ads even had misleading images before and after, suggesting a large loss of body fat – beyond US-FDA approval and misrepresented the program.
Kaya has since followed the order and deposited a fine.
What is cool?
CoolSculpting Machine, made by Zeltiq Aesthetics, is only FDA-approved for “reducing local fat bulges” in areas such as upper arms, bra fat, back fat, banana rolls, secondary bottoms, thighs, abdomen and flanks. This is not a weight loss treatment.
The CCPA emphasized that the clinical trial submitted to the FDA had only 57 participants – Caucasian, Hispanic and African Americans – without Indian or Asian representatives.
Nor do U.S. regulators endorse cooler used in India.
Authorities say that by omitting these facts, VLCC misled consumers.
VLCC ordered compliance with 5 conditions
Authorities direct VLCC to strictly follow five key guidelines in all future advertising:
- Definitely designate targeted objects that reduce fat
- Statement This program is only applicable to individuals with BMI 30 or less
- References to all inclusions and exclusions under FDA approval
- Disclosure of the machine was tested only in specific demographics and not in India.
- It is pointed out that the process targets focal fat deposition rather than weight loss
The VLCC must also limit the claims to the situation where U.S. regulators approve, inform consumers that there is no Indian test and stop trying to avoid liability “unfair contract terms.”
CCPA uses CoolSculpting to information about beauty clinics, health centers and service providers
Government agencies have warned such service providers of strict actions that violate these rules. “Under the Consumer Protection Act of 2019, any violation will involve strict actions, including penalties, termination of misleading advertising and legal proceedings,” the CCPA said.
It also advises consumers to stay cautious and avoid falling into ads, expecting to lose weight immediately or reduce permanent size with CoolSculpting.
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