Ads for Reckitt Benckiser’s automatic dishwasher detergent brands contend that consumers could save water and energy by using a dishwasher rather than washing dishes by hand, The New York Times reports.
A German TV ad says that consumers can reduce water use 85 percent with a dishwasher, according to The Times. That is 700 million bathtubs full of water a year across Germany, according to the ad, created by the agency Euro RSCG. Reckitt cites research from the University of Bonn to back up its claim.
Referring to one of its European brand dishwashing products, it said: “So Calgonit is not only good for your dishes but for our future, too. Be a part of it.”
In South Africa, the Advertising Standards Authority recently banned advertisements for Reckitt’s Finish that claimed that automatic dishwashers used 50 percent less energy and one-tenth the water.