This is from UK marketing laws:
"Marketers should hold signed and dated proof, including a contact address, for any testimonial they use. Unless they are genuine opinions taken from a published source, testimonials should be used only with the written permission of those giving them.
"Testimonials alone do not constitute substantiation and the opinions expressed in them must be supported, where necessary, with independent evidence of their accuracy. Any claims based on a testimonial must conform with the Code"
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-uk-regulation-sales-marketing-promotion.html
Interesting, thanks for that.
Reading that, it would seem to indicate that simple statements from customers as to their experiences with an e-cig would be permissable. It talks about substantiation, but if the retailer is making no direct claim, then the testimonials cannot be considered substantiation (i.e. it seems to be talking about using testimonials as substantiation for claims made by manufacturers/retailers).
It also talks about the opinions in the testimonial needing to be, "supported, where necessary, with independent evidence of their accuracy." First question would be what constitutes a situation where support is necessary. The wording clearly allows for cases where it is not necessary. Also, what level of support would be considered adequate. Secondly, a testimonial is an opinion as even defined here -- opinions, are, by definition, not always able to be supported:
1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
It finishes talking about making claims based on the testimonial. But again, if no claims are made and only the testimonial is published I don't see how this applies.
The code seems to focus on claims made based upon testimonials as it specifically talks about substantiation. It seems much less clear in situations where no claims are made by the persons with vested interests.
I wonder how a "guestbook" type of feature would be viewed where customers simply left feedback about their experiences with the devices.
Allowing people to post their unsolicited and uncoerced opinions on a product and not making any claims based upon that feedback would
seem to steer clear of anything prohibited by those guidelines.
Disclaimer: Don't act on marketing advice you read on the internet.
