Canada creams Nivea over false ad claims

• Tweet

OTTAWA, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- The distributor of Nivea skin care products was censured and fined Wednesday by Canada's federal Competition Bureau for misleading advertising.

The bureau said in a release from Ottawa that Beiersdorf Canada Inc. had agreed to remove its "My Silhouette" product from store shelves immediately, pay a $300,000 penalty and also pay $80,000 to cover investigative costs. Additionally, it must publish a "corrective notice" on its Web site and in major newspapers notifying customers they are entitled to a refund as well as shipping costs.

"Beiersdorf misled consumers by claiming a person could slim down by simply applying a skin cream," said bureau Commissioner Melanie Aitken. "Unfortunately, consumers who purchased 'My Silhouette' learned the hard way that there was no such easy fix."

The packaging and the Web site claimed the product could reduce the thighs, hips, waists and stomachs by as much as 1 1/2 inches "for a dual effect of slimming & reshaping."

There was no immediate statement by Beiersdorf officials.