Nivea rejects promotional phrase following court trial
Rewritten Article:
Nivea has axed a misleading slogan due to a protracted legal battle, according to the competition authorities' reports.
Back in June 2019, TOO "Bayersdorf Kazakhstan" (Nivea brand) lodged a complaint against TOO "Unilever Kazakhstan" (Rexona brand) with the Antimonopoly Department of Almaty. The dispute centered around Rexona's use of the slogan "10 times better odor protection" while marketing their antiperspirants, which didn't align with the results of a microbiological in-vitro test.
As a result, the department ordered TOO "Unilever Kazakhstan" to cease unfair competition and prevent further breaches of Kazakhstani competition protection laws. The order was complied with, and Rexona discontinued selling products with deceptive information. They also revamped their packaging to display accurate test results: "10 times better protection against bacteria - based on microbiological in-vitro test results: 10 times reduction in bacteria count within 5 and 24 hours after application compared to using only regular soap without an antiperspirant."
In October 2019, a representative from the Rexona brand accused Nivea of misleading advertising on their website and store displays, asserting that the "Nivea Black & White Invisible" antiperspirant was "No.1 in the world against stains." These assertions were subsequently confirmed to be false.
The Antimopoly Department again issued a notice to TOO "Bayersdorf Kazakhstan" to cease and prevent further violations of Kazakhstani competition protection laws. Regrettably, the company failed to adhere to the notice within the stipulated timeframe, leading to a lengthy legal battle that extended over 1.5 years. In March 2021, the Almaty City Court ruled the Antimonopoly Department's precept to be valid and reasonable.
TOO "Bayersdorf Kazakhstan" eventually complied with the precept on September 30, 2021.
As of 2025, no comprehensive, publicly available information about the specific legal dispute involving Nivea antiperspirants in Kazakhstan or subsequent changes in their advertising slogans following the dispute has been widely reported. Consequently, the current slogan remains undisclosed without further detailed sources addressing this specific issue.
The legal battle over deceptive advertising extended to the finance sector, as TOO "Bayersdorf Kazakhstan" (Nivea brand) faced financial penalties for their misleading slogan, "Nivea Black & White Invisible" being "No.1 in the world against stains." The ongoing dispute also impacted the industry, forcing them to reconsider their business strategies in the Kazakhstani market.
