Patanjali ads case: Supreme Court warns celebrities, influencers against endorsing misleading ads

livemint.com:

Bar and Bench reported. "Endorsements by public figures, influencers, celebrities, etc go a long way in promoting a product, and it is imperative for them to act with responsibility when endorsing any product in the course of advertisements," the apex court added.

They also noted that there are Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) guidelines which call for influencers to be transparent about paid endorsements. The apex court emphasised that influencers and celebrities should not abuse the trust placed in them by the public.

“They have to take responsibility for advertisements as contemplated in guideline 8 (ads that target or use children) and guideline 12 (duties of manufacturers, service providers and ad agency) to ensure that the trust of the consumer is not abused or exploited due to sheer lack of knowledge or experience," the Bench said invoking CCPA guidelines. "Guideline 13 requires due responsibility to be taken for advertisements and requires a person who endorses a product to have adequate information or experience with the specific food product to be endorsed, and it must be ensured that it is not deceptive," it added.

The top court added that the guidelines under the Consumer Protection Act are meant to ensure that the consumer is aware of the products purchased from the market, particularly in the health and food sectors. The Bench also tasked the Consumer Affairs Ministry with establishing a system for advertisers to submit self-declarations for print-media ads within four weeks.