Misleading claims bring $17,500 fine

The Commerce Commission has fined Environmental Air Care (EAC) $17,500 for making misleading claims about its Robocan time-dispensed insect control products. EAC was also ordered to publish "corrective advertising" in three metropolitan newspapers.

EAC gave the impression its Robocan Insect Repellent and Insect Killer were made substantially or entirely of natural ingredients, although only 16.7 per cent of the total active ingredients was natural, the commission said. Claims that both products had Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry approval were misleading.