OFT STAMPS OUT MISLEADING CALLS FROM MAIL SUPPLIERS

23 May 2003 11:15 AM

Two Kent based mailing supplies companies have agreed not to make misleading statements to businesses, following action by the OFT.

Franking Solutions Ltd and its officers Wendy Williams and Lee David Williams, and Mailroom Supplies (Labels) Ltd and its officers George Alexander Ryan and John James Francis Ryan, have all given written assurances to the OFT that they will not make misleading oral statements.

The OFT received complaints that Franking Solutions and Mailroom Supplies had called businesses and made misleading claims that:

- the business had placed an order for franking labels, when no such order had been made
- the company was the current supplier of franking labels for that business, when this was not the case
- signing and returning an order form would be relied upon by the company for information purposes only, when it was complained that the document was relied upon as an order for franking labels.

The assurances were obtained under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988. The OFT worked closely with Medway Trading Standards Service in collating evidence.

Welcoming the assurances John Vickers, OFT Chairman said: "The OFT will not hesitate to take action against businesses who use misleading statements to deceive their customers."

NOTES
1. Franking Solutions Ltd and Mailroom Supplies (Labels) Ltd are both based in Chatham in Kent.

2. The Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 came into force on 20 June 1988, implementing an EC Directive on misleading advertising. The role of the OFT under the Regulations is to support and reinforce existing controls, not to replace them. The Regulations give the OFT the power to step in if the public interest requires that advertisements complained of should be stopped by means of a court injunction. Alternatively, the OFT can seek undertakings or assurances.

3. The OFT can act only when a complaint has been received. To come within the scope of the Regulations, an advertisement must be misleading (i.e., must deceive or be likely to deceive and affect economic behaviour), and be published in connection with a trade, business, craft or profession to promote the supply or transfer of goods and services. This includes representations made orally, in writing or in pictures.

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