A Bosch dishwasher advert from Havas Worldwide London has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority on the grounds it misled viewers about the amount of water required to wash dishes.
Four complaints were made the the ASA that the ad's claims that washing up by hand used 49 litres of water compared to six litres in a Bosch dishwasher, using Finish dishwater tablets, could not be substantiated.
Brand owner Reckitt Benckiser countered that a 2009 study on manual dishwashing habits showed an average of 49 litres used for a 12-place dish setting. However, the ASA ruled that variable factors within the report meant the evidence was not robust enough.
Reckit Benckiser also said the wording of the advert - "Did you know washing dishes at the sink could cost more than using a Bosch dishwasher" and "can use significantly more water" - was chosen carefully to reflect that water use could vary, however, the ASA also pointed to the use of a graphic illustrating the claim. Having breached BCP rules on misleading advertising and substantiation, the complainants views were upheld and the ad banned.