Century Plyboards (India) Limited - IS 710 MARINE

Recommendation: Upheld | Medium: General Public

The ASCI had approached the advertiser for its response in addressing the grievances of the complainant and forwarded the details of the complaint, verbatim, to the advertiser with a request to respond to the same. The advertiser was offered an option to seek an Informal Resolution (IR) of the complaint by modifying or withdrawing the claim in the advertisement, or alternately to substantiate the claim with supporting data. The advertiser was also offered an opportunity for a telecon with the ASCI Secretariat, which they did not avail and requested for an extension of 10 days to submit their response. The deadlines stipulated by Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) procedure exist keeping in mind the immediate and widespread impact that advertisements have on the public. Consequently, any action which is needed to be taken with respect to the same is required to be prompt and urgent. It is for this purpose that the deadlines, as stipulated, are set for advertisers/broadcasters etc, and the CCC itself makes it a priority to deal with every complaint before it as expeditiously as possible. However, as a special gesture, the advertiser was granted an extension of additional two business days from the original due date to respond. The advertiser submitted that in 1998 ASCI initiated proceedings against one of its advertisements, leading to a suit before the Hon’ble Bombay High Court. The Court held that ASCI is not a regulatory body, lacks authority to investigate complaints or issue directions, especially since the Company is not a member of ASCI. The judgment, of July 1999, has attained finality and operates as res judicata. The advertiser asked ASCI to confirm if the judgment was challenged or set aside and, if not, to reconsider the recent show-cause notices. With respect to the objections raised against the claim on their website, the advertiser stated that the plywood under the tradename `IS 710’ is custom made and not sold to the general public. The customers are fully aware of its specifications before placing an order. ASCI clarified to the advertiser that the 1999 High Court order cited by them was later set aside by consent and does not operate as res judicata. ASCI further stated that ASCI can review advertisements of both members and non-members and only issues recommendations not binding orders. ASCI acknowledged the advertiser’s claim but requested for a copy of the registered trademark certificate and supporting evidence to substantiate their assertions concerning the use of `IS 710’ as mentioned in their response. In response to the above, the advertiser stated that `IS 710 Marine’ is not registered under the Trade Marks Act, 1999. The plywood manufactured and sold under the trade name `IS 710 Marine’ is IS 710: 2010 certified. The advertiser provided a copy of the certificate issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). They further requested for two weeks time to compile additional supporting documents and respond to the complainant’s objections. ASCI acknowledged the advertiser’s response stating that, despite previously granted extensions, no further extension for submitting a detailed response could be allowed to ensure timely resolution of complaint. ASCI scheduled a zoom meeting to discuss the matter and shared the meeting details with the advertiser. However, the advertiser did not join the meeting offered by ASCI. The CCC viewed the Website advertisement (https://www.centuryply.com/plywood/is-710), considered the complaint, and the advertiser’s response along with the claim support data. The CCC observed that the advertisement of plywood under the name `IS 710 Marine’ on the company's website, is presented as “CenturyPly Marine Grade”. The CCC took note of the advertiser’s response that the plywood marked as `IS 710’ is produced only against specific orders and is not available for general sale. Therefore, according to them, the customers who purchase this product are fully aware of its specifications at the time of order. The CCC further observed that the advertiser has stated that the term `IS 710 Marine’ is part of their trade name but not a registered trademark. They claimed the plywood under this name conforms to the IS 710:2010 standard and submitted an endorsement dated 18 June 2025 from BIS, which extended the validity of a previously issued licence. However, the advertiser has not provided the actual BIS certificate confirming compliance with the standard. As the endorsement merely indicated a renewal and does not verify the technical specifications of the product, this documentation was found to be insufficient. Based on this assessment, the CCC concluded that the Website claim, “IS 710, also known as CenturyPly Marine Grade”, was inadequately substantiated. The claim is misleading and is likely to lead to widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers. The said claim contravened Chapter I, Clauses 1.1, 1.4 and 1.5 of the ASCI Code. This complaint was UPHELD.