Russ Andrews, the mains accessories specialist, has finally been cleared by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) of misleading consumers about the reduction of radio frequency interference by its mains cables.
Following an investigation into Russ Andrews’ advertising for its mains cables, the ASA has confirmed that the company is not misleading consumers.
An anonymous complainant “challenged whether the advertisement was misleading because they did not believe the referenced research could support the noise reduction claims". This challenge has been rejected outright.
The complaint related to an article within Russ Andrews’ Connected magazine, which appeared after the company had submitted its mains cables for extensive and wholly independent testing to prove, or otherwise, whether the woven cable geometry employed in the design of the cables was an effective barrier to radio frequency interference (RFI).
Prior to this testing, which was carried out by 3C Test Ltd., an independent UKAS Accredit EMC certified test facility, the ASA had ruled against the company following a similar anonymous complaint, stating: “We told Russ Andrews not to imply that RFI from mains electricity was a perceptible problem or that their products could reduce mains-borne RFI, unless they held robust substantiation to show that was the case.”
It was to comply with this ruling that the company commissioned ths independent testing. The results were published in the company’s own Connected magazine and it is against this piece of editorial comment that the latest challenge was made.
Acknowledging that the test “results appeared to show a reduction in [noise] dBs compared to a normal mains cable (which was used as a control)”, the ASA concluded: “We considered that the evidence supplied was therefore sufficient to support the claims in the ad about the extent to which RF interference was achieved when tested under lab conditions. We concluded that the ad was not misleading.”
Russ Andrews, chairman of the company, says, “At last common sense has prevailed! We have been on the receiving end of numerous complaints sent to the ASA by an individual or individuals unknown and I am delighted that the Advertising Standards Authority has finally seen fit to agree with our presentation of the results of the latest independent tests, which unequivocally prove our theory.”
You can read the full text of the ASA Russ Andrews ruling by clicking this link.
By Andy Clough
