Indian consumers want government to regulate advertising, says study

NEW DELHI: Around 80% Indian consumers do not trust advertisements and want the government to create an advertising code and regulate misleading ads, especially at a time when the country is fighting a pandemic, according to a survey conducted by online community platform LocalCircles. The survey was aimed at determining trust and accountability of ads being promoted across platforms.

A case in point is Patanjali’s Coronil which the company claimed was a cure for covid-19. The AYUSH ministry has barred Patanjali Ayurveda from promoting Coronil as a cure for the disease but WhatsApp forwards about the product continue to circulate.

With more than 67,000 responses from over 220 districts across the country between 20 May and 15 June, the survey found that 75% respondents came across celebrity ads which were misleading.