Quackbase!

Claimant: Solal Technologies

Type: Retailing Company

Website: http://www.solaltech.com/indexs.php

Claims and Responses

• Claim no 1: Solal Technologies Prevents Aging made on 2010-10-01 - Untested and implausible

  Solal claims to be an "anti-aging specialist". This is one of their most strident claims.

  • Response no 1: Treatment Action Campaign Complaint to ASASA on 2010-10-15
  • Response no 3: ASASA Ruling on 2010-12-15

    This is not a ruling on the complaint itself. Solal made contentions against Marcus Low, the complainant. ASASA dismissed these contentions and gave ASASA a final opportunity to respond to Low.

  • Response no 68: ASASA Ruling on 2011-06-29

    ASASA orders the Solal claims to be withdrawn. The complaint is only partially upheld because of a technical issue around Appendix A of the code.

• Claim no 2: Solal Technologies Improves Nutrition made on 2009-10-01 - Untested and implausible

  Solal placed a health shake advertisement in Beeld.

  • Response no 2: Harris Steinman Complaint to ASASA on 2009-10-09
  • Response no 4: ASASA Ruling on 2009-12-02

    Solal claims the advert was placed in error and so ASASA declines to investigate further.

• Claim no 25: Solal Technologies Delays macular degeneration made on 2010-05-01 - Untested and implausible

  Solal claims in an advert in Fair Lady that their product delays macular degeneration. Their advert was also misleading about the causes of this condition.

  • Response no 47: Dr. JC Laithwaithe Complaint to ASASA on 2010-08-01
  • Response no 48: ASASA Ruling on 2010-08-30

    ASASA upholds the complaint and rules that the Solal claim is unsubstantiated and must be withdrawn.

  • Response no 81: ASASA Ruling on 2012-01-24

    After reviewing a number of 'experts' presented by the respondent, claims remained unsubstantiated and the previous ruling was upheld

  • Response no 87: ASASA ASA Directorate Ruling on 2012-04-17

    The ASA Directorate ruled that Solal's current advertising and packaging are in breach of the original ruling, and therefore in breach of Clause 15 of the Procedural Guide.

• Claim no 26: Solal Technologies Alleviates Vitamin Deficiency made on 2011-02-01 - Tests are disputed or inconclusive

  This Solal flyer claimed that more than 80% of South Africans tested are deficient in vitamin D3, which is essential for heart health.

  • Response no 46: Kevin Charleston Complaint to ASASA on 2011-02-02
  • Response no 49: ASASA Ruling on 2011-02-18

    ASASA rules in favour of complainant, Kevin Charleston, and orders the advert to be withdrawn because it is in contravention of Appendix F.

• Claim no 31: Solal Technologies Sugar has harmful effects made on 2009-12-01 - Hyperbole

  A Solal advert in the Star claims that too much sugar or artificial sweetners can cause cancer. This sets off a protracted battle at ASASA with the Sugar Association.

  • Response no 55: South African Sugar Association Complaint to ASASA on 2009-11-01
  • Response no 56: ASASA Ruling on 2009-12-01

    The Solal claims are not substantiated. The complaint was upheld and the claims ordered to be withdrawn.

  • Response no 57: Solal Technologies Appeal to ASASA on 2010-02-22
  • Response no 59: ASASA Ruling on 2010-05-17

    Solal presents an expert witness who verifies their claims. ASASA rules in Solal's favour.

  • Response no 64: ASASA Ruling on 2011-05-05

    Solal ordered to withdraw advert that makes hyperbolic claims about the ill-effects of sugar

  • Response no 69: ASASA Ruling on 2011-06-30

    ASASA dismisses a complaint by the Sugar Association that Solal was in breach of a ruling by ASASA of 5 May 2011. The ruling has implications for adverts stored in Google cache.

  • Response no 74: ASASA Ruling on 2011-09-06

    Solal Technologies' application for the suspension of ASASA's ruling (05/05/2011) was denied

  • Response no 76: ASASA Ruling on 2011-09-20

    Solal again appealed the ASA decision in favour of the Sugar Association. The ASA has ruled against Solal's new appeal.

• Claim no 32: Solal Technologies Vitamin D functions as a vaccine made on 2010-08-26 - Untested and implausible

  Solal placed an advert in The Star claiming that Vitamin D is as effective as a vaccine.

  • Response no 60: Kevin Charleston Complaint to ASASA on 2010-07-26
  • Response no 61: ASASA Ruling on 2010-08-26

    ASASA rules in favour of complainant Kevin Charleston. The claim that Vitamin D is as effective as a vaccine is unsubstantiated and must be withdrawn.

  • Response no 84: ASASA Ruling on 2012-02-14

    Solal submitted new evidence to support its claim that Vitamin D is an effective vaccine. The substantiation was rejected by ASASA and the August 2010 ruling was therefore upheld.

• Claim no 33: Solal Technologies Improves Nutrition made on 2009-09-05 - Untested

  Solal ran an advert titled "Why Solal Technologies believes that omega 3s from krill oil are better than fish oil."

  • Response no 62: Vital Health Foods Complaint to ASASA on 2009-11-01
  • Response no 63: ASASA Ruling on 2009-11-23

    ASASA upholds a competitor complaint against Solal. Solal's claims are unsubstantiated and must be withdrawn.

• Claim no 35: Solal Technologies Cures Hangovers made on 2011-04-10 - Untested

  Solal ran an advert in the Cape Times claiming that their products are a quick fix for hangovers
• Claim no 43: Solal Technologies Helps Stop Smoking made on 2011-06-15 - Untested and implausible

  This advert claims that several products can prevent heart disease or help you give up smoking and reduce the risk of a heart attack.
• Claim no 45: Solal Technologies Prevents Heart Disease made on 2010-10-01 - Untested

  Solal claims Omega 3 deficiency can increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, arthritis, diabetes and depression and that most people are deficient in Omega 3.

  • Response no 70: ASASA Ruling on 2011-06-29

    ASASA rules in favour of complainant, Kevin Charleston, and orders the advert to be withdrawn because it is in contravention of Appendix F.

• Claim no 58: Solal Technologies Increases risk of heart attack, diabetes, depression and arthritis Omega deficiency made on 2010-10-04 - Untested and implausible

  Solal Technologies made unsubstantiated claims that omega deficiency increases the risk of numerous diseases

  • Response no 77: ASASA Ruling on 2011-10-07

    ASASA dismissed Solal's appeal

  • Response no 83: ASASA Ruling on 2012-02-02

    Final Appeals Committee of ASA overturned earlier ruling that Solal advert violated appendix F.

• Claim no 61: Solal Technologies Protects Heart Disease made on 2012-02-14 - Tests are disputed or inconclusive

  The advert suggests the product protects the heart and brain from stress damage

  • Response no 86: ASASA ASA Directorate Ruling on 2012-03-22

    ASASA rules that claims in a Solal “Stress at work increases the risk of heart attack by 300-600%" advertisement are unsubstantiated.

• Claim no 66: Solal Technologies Reduces Aging made on 2011-03-01 - Untested and implausible

  The advert claims that the supplements will reduce aging, provide all of the nutrients needed

  • Response no 90: ASASA ASA Directorate Ruling on 2011-06-29

    The ASA ruled that the statement "Prescribed by Doctors, Recommended by Pharmacists" was unstbstantiated and should not be used.

  • Response no 91: ASASA ASA Directorate Ruling on 2012-04-03

    Solal submitted further substantiation, and the ASA reversed their earlier decision.