The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) has filled a complaint with India’s advertising watchdog about a Kalamandir Jewellers ad for lab-grown diamonds.
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), which received the complaint from the NDC, lists the case as informally resolved on its website, and said the contested ad was “withdrawn.” However, Kalamandir disputes that characterization, noting the ad is still on YouTube. Kalamandir’s full response can be seen here.
In the disputed video, for Kalamandir’s Rishta lab-grown diamond brand, a customer asked a salesperson if the product was “better for the environment and eco-friendly” and could be called a “green diamond.”
The salesperson responded, “Yes, ma’am. 100%. That is why it’s affordable and valuable.” She also said that “thousands of lives are put at risk for the mining of the earth.”
Richa Singh, the NDC’s managing director for India and Middle East, tells JCK: “There was no supporting evidence found to back up the claims on eco-friendly and green diamonds, and the claims were found to be misleading by exaggeration.” Kalamandir has disputed those assertions.
The ASCI could not be reached for comment.
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