CCPA fines VLCC Rs 3 lakh for misleading ads; warns beauty clinics against false claims

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 3 lakh on VLCC Limited for publishing misleading advertisements about fat-loss and slimming treatments using the US-FDA approved CoolSculpting procedure.

This comes shortly after CCPA had penalized Kaya Limited with the same amount for similar violations, where the company’s ads claimed “Non-surgical Fat Reduction” and “easy inch loss with CoolSculpting,” while using before-and-after images that misrepresented the treatment as a weight-loss solution. Kaya has since complied and deposited the penalty.

The regulator acted on a complaint and routine monitoring of slimming and beauty sector ads. It found that VLCC misled consumers by projecting CoolSculpting and other procedures as permanent weight-loss solutions, with exaggerated promises such as:

- “Lose up to 600g and 7 cm in 1 session” - “Drop 1 Size in 1 session permanently” - “Drop one size in one hour” - “With Lipolaser Lose 6cm and 400g in one session”

Such advertisements, CCPA observed, went far beyond the actual approval granted to the CoolSculpting machine, which is only cleared for localized fat reduction in specific body areas and not for weight loss.

The CoolSculpting machine, manufactured by Zeltiq Aesthetics, is approved by the US-FDA for treatment of localized fat bulges in areas such as the thigh, abdomen, flank, upper arm, back fat, bra fat, banana roll, and under the chin.

- It is not a weight-loss treatment. - Clinical trials submitted to the FDA involved only 57 participants of Caucasian, Hispanic and African American ethnicity, with no Indian or Asian representation. - The US-FDA has not endorsed CoolSculpting for India.

By omitting these critical facts, VLCC was found guilty of misleading consumers under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

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Along with the penalty, VLCC has been directed to strictly follow these conditions in all future advertisements:

- Disclose the specific body areas targeted, the BMI limit of 30 or less, and FDA-approved inclusions/exclusions. - Clearly state: “The CoolSculpting Procedure is used for treatment of the focal fat deposits and not weight loss.” - Inform consumers about the absence of Indian demographic testing and lack of FDA endorsement for India. - Restrict claims strictly to what the FDA has approved. - Remove unfair contract clauses that absolve legal liability.

The authority has also cautioned all beauty clinics, wellness centers, and service providers in India using CoolSculpting machines to strictly comply with these norms. Violations may invite penalties, discontinuation of misleading ads, and legal action.

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