BP changes advertising in response to Commission concerns thatconsumers may be misled
Published15 Sep 2003
Issued 15 September 2003
BP Oil New Zealand Limited has changed its current nationwide television advertising campaign following concerns raised by the Commerce Commission.
In the Commission's view, the advertisements for BP Ultimate and Low Sulphur Diesel were liable to mislead customers because BP did not disclose that these two products were not readily available in all its outlets.
At the time the Commission raised its concerns, BP Ultimate was only available at 36 North Island service stations while Low Sulphur Diesel was only available in Christchurch.
Director of Fair Trading Deborah Battell said that BP had been responsive to the Commission's concerns and had changed its advertising to clearly state the limited availability of the products.
"It is essential that businesses are aware of their responsibilities under the Fair Trading Act to clearly and accurately represent their goods or services," said Ms Battell.
"Omitting important information can cause people to be misled, and it is particularly important that all advertising is clear and accurate so that they can make informed choices."
