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Burt's Bees fined for false advertising

Popular ointment brand Burt's Bees has been slapped with a NT$600,000 (US$18,300) fine for false advertising, the nation's fair trade regulators said yesterday.

The Fair Trade Commission said the company had claimed in advertisements published in the Chinese-language Apple Daily newspaper in July that its herbal insect repellent was the only product of its type that could be directly applied to human skin.

The commission said that the ads could mislead consumers and influence their purchasing decisions, placing the company in violation of Article 21 of the Fair Trade Act (公平交易法).

The Department of Health stipulates that, with the exception of essential oils, all insect repellents that are rubbed or sprayed directly onto the skin must be approved by the department before they can be legally sold.

The health department has issued approval for 13 of these products, the commission said in a statement.

The commission yesterday also fined Taiwan Salt Co (Taisalt, 台鹽) NT$1 million for limiting its products' retail prices when sold by its distributors and franchisees.

The commission said Taisalt's move violated Article 18 of the Fair Trade Act, as vendors have the right to determine their own prices based on competition and cost structures.

The commission ordered Taisalt to halt the practise immediately.
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