The Jaipur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission recently issued notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff, along with the chairman of JB Industries for allegedly misleadingly advertising the product, ‘Vimal Pan Masala.’
The three have been summoned to appear on March 19, 2025, for concerns regarding the advertisement’s claim that “each grain contains saffron.”
The complaint was filed by advocate Yogendra Singh Badiyal. The complainant argued that the advertisement’s assertion of saffron content is deceptive and misleading. Badiyal points out that with saffron priced around ₹4 lakh per kilogram, it is practically implausible for a ₹5 pan masala pouch to contain genuine saffron. He argued that such claims mislead consumers and serve to boost product sales.
In India, the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, looks into the matters of misleading advertisements and holds the respective endorsers accountable.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) is the statutory body established under this Act. The statutory body can authorise the imposition of penalties on manufacturers, advertisers, and endorsers for disseminating such misleading advertisements.
These penalties imposed by CCPA can reach up to ₹10 lakh for the first offense, and up to ₹50 lakh for subsequent offenses. In addition, the CCPA can also prohibit the endorser from endorsing any product or service for a period of up to three years,
Further, the “Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022” cautions the endorsers that they should exercise due diligence to verify the veracity of their claims made in the advertisements before endorsing them. It also includes ensuring that the advertiser’s claims are not misleading – a failure to adhere to these guidelines may result in legal consequences for the endorsers.
The judiciary, herein the Jaipur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, has found the accountability of celebrities and influencers in endorsing products.
The Supreme Court has cautioned time and again that endorsers may be held liable for participating in the promotion of misleading advertisements, especially those related to food and health products of this class.
REFERENCES –
- https://www.thelawadvice.com/news/consumer-court-sends-notices-to-srk-ajay-devgn-tiger-shroff-over-vimal-pan-masala-ad
- https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/consumer-panel-summons-srk-ajay-devgn-tiger-shroff-over-pan-masala-ad-1865782
- https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jaipur-notice-shahrukh-ajay-devgn-tiger-shroff-misleading-pan-masala-ad-9875932/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
About Author
Tanishq, a law student at the Department of Legal Studies and Research, Barkatullah Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal, is a budding legal writer with a sharp eye for evolving legal landscapes. Passionate about Intellectual Property Rights, Constitutional Law, and Women and Child Safety Laws, Tanishq actively explores contemporary legal nuances through writing and research.
