The District Consumer Commission in Jaipur has asked SRK to respond to the allegations by March 19, regarding his appearance in the controversial gutkha advertisement. Photo: Instagram/SRK
Shah Rukh Khan, other A-listers summoned over 'misleading' pan masala ad
Shah Rukh, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff have found themselves in a legal controversy regarding an advertisement promoting 'saffron-flavoured' pan masala
An advertisement by JB industries that promotes 'saffron-flavoured' gutkha and a smokeless tobacco that is chewable, has come under scrutiny by the District Consumer Commission in Jaipur. The allegations were made over ‘misleading advertising’ with notices being sent to A-list Bollywood celebrities, Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff, for their appearances in this ad, reports said.
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A notice was also sent to the chairman of the 'gutkha'-manufacturing company.
The Commission has asked Shah Rukh to respond to the allegations by March 19 regarding the advertisement.
'False brand claims'
The summons for these celebrities came after a formal complaint was filed by a consumer rights activist, Yogendra Singh Badiyal, alleging that the brand’s claim in its tagline, “Every grain contains saffron” was misleading and potentially deceives customers.
Commission chairman, Gyarsilal Meena, and member, Hemlata Agarwal, took action on the complaint and directed the notice to the actors and the gutkha manufacturer.
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'Misleading product ingredients'
Badiyal in his complaint alleged that the advertisement’s claim in its tagline was misleading as it was not feasible for the product, priced at Rs 5, to genuinely contain saffron that costs nearly Rs 4 lakh per kilogram.
Badiyal went on to allege that the gutkha product neither contained saffron nor carried its fragrance, making him fear that the endorsement of this product by high-profile celebrities would mislead consumers into believing the product offers something it doesn’t.
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Potential health risks
The complaint also raised the matter of serious health concerns created by such gutkha products. The petition argued that by glamourising gutkha, these promotional ads could indirectly encourage the consumption of a harmful product.