The Live Ahmedabad
  • Home
  • Ahd City
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Crime
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Featured

The Live Ahmedabad

  • Home
  • Ahd City
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Crime
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Featured
Nation

New rules demand celebrities and influencers be honest about health product promotions

by TLAteam August 12, 2023August 12, 2023
written by TLAteam August 12, 2023August 12, 2023
New rules demand celebrities and influencers be honest about health product promotions

The Union government on Thursday enforced a new set of guidelines and rules for social media influencers and people who endorse products or therapies that target medical conditions so that they comply with the Consumer Protection Act, an official said.

Business News

Misleading advertisements, unsubstantiated claims and lack of transparency in health and wellness endorsements now attract penal provisions of the consumer protection law. Digital influencers are widely followed on social media platforms, such as Instagram.

The new guidelines follow a set of norms invoked in March 2023 to ensure individuals do not “mislead their audiences when endorsing products or services and that they are in compliance with the Consumer Protection Act and any associated rules or guidelines”, consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said.

Misleading advertisements, unsubstantiated claims and lack of transparency in health and wellness endorsements now attract penal provisions of the consumer protection law. Digital influencers are widely followed on social media platforms, such as Instagram.

Influencers are part of a large industry that drives sales and marketing in the form of entertainment and they endorse products for which they sign marketing deals with companies. They shape shopping habits of mass followers of their social media accounts.

A key requirement of the new rules is that “celebrities, influencers and virtual influencers” presenting themselves as “health experts or medical practitioners, when sharing information, promoting products or services or making any health-related claims, must provide clear disclaimers, ensuring the audience understands that their endorsements should not be seen as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment”.

Such a disclosure or disclaimer is now mandatory when making claims on “health advantages” including those derived from “food items and nutraceuticals, disease prevention, treatment or cure, medical conditions and recovery methodologies”.

The new rules will cover vitamins and health supplements as well as so-called immunity boosters. Statutory disclaimers will have to be displayed while undertaking endorsements that make any kind of “health-related assertions”.

In cases of false or misleading endorsements, under section 21(2) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the central consumer protection authority can impose fines on manufacturers and endorsers of up to ₹10 lakh, or ₹50 lakh in case of repeated violations, according to the rules.

In March 2023, the government published “Endorsements Know-hows” for celebrities, influencers and virtual influencers on social-media platforms. The new rules specifically apply to health care-related endorsements.

The rules will not apply to general health advice such as “drink water and stay hydrated” or “exercise regularly”, the official said. As part of a broader drive for transparency in digital endorsements, the Centre has also made it mandatory for influencers to disclose marketing deals.

“Companies particularly target marketing of skin care and beauty products from a health care approach. Some of these products can cause potential side effects,” said Arti Pillai, a consumer-advocacy expert who was a consultant to the government.

0 comment
previous post
Inspired by MLA mom, Maharashtra Govt Proposes nursing rooms for lactating women in all workplaces
next post
Department of Telecommunications Launches Portal: Verify the Number of SIMS linked to a single Aadhar

You may also like

India Sees Resurgence in COVID‑19 Cases, Central Government...

June 8, 2025

Former Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi’s Health Deteriorates in...

June 7, 2025

Goodbye to PIN Code: India Post Launches DigiPIN...

June 7, 2025

Bengaluru PG Hostels Face 25% Loss as More...

June 7, 2025

Bank Employee Steals ₹4.58 Crore from 41 FD...

June 7, 2025

RBI Repo Rate Cut to 5.50%: How It...

June 7, 2025

Virat Kohli Named in Police Complaint Over Bengaluru...

June 6, 2025

Elon Musk’s Starlink Govt Nod from India, Set...

June 6, 2025

Sensex Rallies 700 Points, Nifty Nears 25K as...

June 6, 2025

Amazon India Introduces Rs 5 Marketplace Fee Per...

June 6, 2025

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Business News

Recent Posts

  • India Sees Resurgence in COVID‑19 Cases, Central Government Initiates Mock Drills

    June 8, 2025
  • A POCSO case filed after a Vejalpur man arrested for sexually abusing a 15-year-old cousin

    June 8, 2025
  • Edin Rose Expresses Love for Cricketer Shreyas Iyer, Calls Him Her ‘Dream Husband’

    June 8, 2025
  • 2,231 Students Allotted Seats in 3rd Round of RTE Admissions in Gujarat

    June 8, 2025
  • Surat Man Dies Suddenly at Textile Shop, CCTV Captures Moment

    June 8, 2025
August 2023
MTWTFSS
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031 
« Jul Sep »
The Live Ahmedabad
Footer Logo
  • Home
  • Ahd City
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Crime
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Featured
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise with Us
  • Work With Us
  • Contact Us

© 2021 - The Live Ahmedabad. All Rights Reserved.