New test guidelines
The Swiss Fair Trading Commission's New Rules
The new rules of the Swiss Commission for Fair TradingBy Andreas PanzeriThe Swiss Advertising Commission for Fair Trading has issued guidelines for tests. The main aim is to improve the transparency and comparability of product tests.
The new guidelines are the result of a "unique collaboration between the industry, consumer associations and advertisers", explained Doris Leuthard at the press conference in Zurich (see also page 5). The new President of the Commission on Fair Trading held out the prospect that her working group would be making even greater contact with the public. She is pleased that Piero Schäfer will be taking over this educational work in future.
The German Stiftung Warentest foundation was also involved in the broad-based consultation process for the test guidelines.
The need for new guidelines arose as a result of the development that, for some years now, the very costly testing activities have increasingly been taken over by commercial and profit-oriented publishing companies. As a result, non-profit organizations bound by international and national guidelines, such as the Consumer Forum, have been increasingly squeezed out of the market.
The Fairness Commission's test guidelines now also provide guidance for such commercial test providers. They also facilitate the work of the Commission for Fair Trading when dealing with any complaints. The guidelines and other principles on fairness in commercial communication are contained in new brochures that can be obtained from the Swiss Commission for Fair Trading via the homepage www.lauter keit.ch and by calling 01
211 79 22 are available.
Tests abroad are
gladly doubted
In summary, it can be stated that advertising with tests is not permitted if the results have not been expressly released for this purpose. The source of the tests must be named. Furthermore, a clear distinction must be made between editorial test reporting and advertising.
The tester must arrive at his results without being influenced by third parties. In particular, he must not allow himself to be influenced by the assurance of the purchase of large quantities of test publications or the placement of advertisements.
The rule that the publication of the test institute is voluntary proved to be a controversial point in the consultation process. Many institutes in Switzerland make a living from research work for companies whose products they might now have to present in a negative light.
Due to this possible bias, publications such as Saldo or K-Tipp occasionally go abroad for their tests. On the other hand, such results from foreign laboratories are not unwelcome in Switzerland. The Commission therefore declared itself "open to further ideas and suggestions".
Corrigendum
The new guidelines are the result of a "unique collaboration between the industry, consumer associations and advertisers", explained Doris Leuthard at the press conference in Zurich (see also page 5). The new President of the Commission on Fair Trading held out the prospect that her working group would be making even greater contact with the public. She is pleased that Piero Schäfer will be taking over this educational work in future.
The German Stiftung Warentest foundation was also involved in the broad-based consultation process for the test guidelines.
The need for new guidelines arose as a result of the development that, for some years now, the very costly testing activities have increasingly been taken over by commercial and profit-oriented publishing companies. As a result, non-profit organizations bound by international and national guidelines, such as the Consumer Forum, have been increasingly squeezed out of the market.
The Fairness Commission's test guidelines now also provide guidance for such commercial test providers. They also facilitate the work of the Commission for Fair Trading when dealing with any complaints. The guidelines and other principles on fairness in commercial communication are contained in new brochures that can be obtained from the Swiss Commission for Fair Trading via the homepage www.lauter keit.ch and by calling 01
211 79 22 are available.
Tests abroad are
gladly doubted
In summary, it can be stated that advertising with tests is not permitted if the results have not been expressly released for this purpose. The source of the tests must be named. Furthermore, a clear distinction must be made between editorial test reporting and advertising.
The tester must arrive at his results without being influenced by third parties. In particular, he must not allow himself to be influenced by the assurance of the purchase of large quantities of test publications or the placement of advertisements.
The rule that the publication of the test institute is voluntary proved to be a controversial point in the consultation process. Many institutes in Switzerland make a living from research work for companies whose products they might now have to present in a negative light.
Due to this possible bias, publications such as Saldo or K-Tipp occasionally go abroad for their tests. On the other hand, such results from foreign laboratories are not unwelcome in Switzerland. The Commission therefore declared itself "open to further ideas and suggestions".
Corrigendum
The monthly magazine NZZ Folio is at the top of the top leaders and not behind the SonntagsZeitung. On page 25 of WerbeWoche number 12 of March 29, a commentary on the MA Leader 2001 stated that the SonntagsZeitung was the most widely read title among the leaders with 77,000 readers. This is probably true for the leaders. Among the top leaders, however, according to the current
the NZZ Folio according to the Wemf study. The magazine reaches 44,000 top leaders. The SonntagsZeitung, however, has 1000 top leaders less, namely 43,000.
