The Finnish Consumer Agency often has to contact the same firms about the same matters that have come up before. Firms should devise better ways to check advertising and make sure it complies with the law before it is released. The Consumer Agency also advises firms in questions concerning marketing and consumer protection.
The Consumer Agency called attention to a Coca-Cola commercial that violated an existing ban. The dominant message in the campaign was that consumers could get a T-shirt by collecting codes from eight bottle caps. The commercial said that additional information concerning the offer was available on bottles.
Earlier the Consumer Ombudsman had banned Coca-Cola Finland from using a contest, drawing or additional benefit in its marketing in such a way that participation in these and benefits dominated advertising at the expense of the actual product. The ban was backed by a €50,000 conditional fine.
The commercial failed to provide the information required in Chapter 2 section 4 of the Consumer Protection Act. The commercial did not say how long the offer was valid or indicate the value of the benefit or what consumers had to pay to get the benefit.
The company pulled the commercial after the Consumer Agency protested that it infringed the Consumer Protection Act and the marketing ban.