AN ADVERT for Persil has been banned for being misleading about its environmental benefits.

The advertising watchdog said that the television spot, which claimed to promote a laundry detergent that was "kinder to our planet", was unsubstantiated and thereby misleading to consumers.

Persil's parent firm Unilever initially argued that the product was in fact "kinder" to the planet because it saved on energy by offering faster washes at lower temperatures.

It also said that the product was made of used recycled plastic.

However, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said "the context of the entire ad with several messages relating to environmental issues, we considered the meaning and basis of the claim 'kinder to our planet' was unclear."

Unilever, which also owns brands like Dove, said it was "disappointed" with the decision. It added: "We are committed to making ongoing improvements to all our products to make them more sustainable and will continue to look at how we can share this with our shoppers".

Partner at law firm Harbottle & Lewis Andrew Terry said the decision shows a "robust approach to environmental claims" and called on brands to be more cautious with terms used.

(c) 2022 City A.M., source Newspaper