Pulseras iónicas no mejoran la salud
Emol | martes, 28 diciembre 2010 11:42 a.m.
El boom de las pulseras iónicas parece llegar, paulatinamente, a su fin. A través de un comunicado, una importante empresa productora de estas bandas para la muñeca aseguró que, básicamente, las promesas de salud no son comprobables científicamente.
Power Balance publicó en su sitio web en Autralia que las pulseras no cumplen con la publicidad que profesaban, al asegurar que no mejoraban ninguno de los aspectos de salud que prometían.
Power Balance publicó en su sitio web en Autralia que las pulseras no cumplen con la publicidad que profesaban, al asegurar que no mejoraban ninguno de los aspectos de salud que prometían.
"Admitimos que no tenemos ninguna evidencia científica creíble que respalde nuestros argumentos de que se mejora la fuerza, el balance y la flexibilidad", aseguró el comunicado.
Además, la misma información precisa que si existen personas que sientan que fueron pasadas a llevar por la promoción, "les pedimos sinceras disculpas y le ofrecemos un reembolso total".
El reembolso sólo se llevará a cabo si se hace antes de la fecha límite establecida por la empresa (30 de junio de 2011) y si se llevan los comprobantes de compra (tarjeta de crédito, código de barras y envase) de algunos de los vendedores autorizados en Australia.
Si bien Power Balance publicó el tema en su sitio, no lo hizo a nivel global. Esta información -afirma la compañía- es válida sólo para Australia, aunque muy probablemente las pulseras que se venden en otros países sean exactamente iguales a las de la nación oceánica, por lo tanto, no tengan ninguna propiedad curativa.
En Italia, por ejemplo, se le aplicó a la compañía una multa de 350 mil euros por conceptos de publicidad engañosa.
Power Balance bracelets don't work, rules Australian government
One topic of debate among cycling fans during the 2010 season has been whether Power Balance bracelets, which incorporate a hologram and are said to “work with your body’s natural energy field” to improve performance, actually work. The answer, according to authorities in Australia, appears to be a resounding “No!”
Throughout 2010, the $30 silicone wristbands have been sported by the likes of Lampre-Farnese Vini’s Alessandro Petacchi and Team Sky’s Juan Antonio Flecha. Outside cycling they have been endorsed by the likes of basketball star Shaquille O’Neill , Formula 1 racing driver Rubens Barichello, and England cricketer Kevin Pietersen.
Founded by a group of athletes in 2007, the company claims that “Power Balance is based on the idea of optimizing the body’s natural energy flow, similar to concepts behind many Eastern philosophies. The hologram in Power Balance is designed to resonate with and respond to the natural energy field of the body.”
Not so, says the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which has secured agreement from the company to change the wording of its advertising and product packaging after it admitted that it could not provide scientific backing for its claim that the bracelet improved "balance, strength and flexibility."
According to BBC News, the company has also agreed to refund its customers in Australia if they ask for their money back, and will also remove the term “performance technology” from the wristband.
"Suppliers of these types of products must ensure that they are not claiming supposed benefits when there is no supportive scientific evidence," commented ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel.
"Consumers should be wary of other similar products on the market that make unsubstantiated claims, when they may be no more beneficial than a rubber band."
Earlier this year, the product picked up an unwelcome accolade when it became the recipient of one of Australian consumer watchdog CHOICE’s wonderfully-namedShonky Awards.
"Consumers should be wary of other similar products on the market that make unsubstantiated claims, when they may be no more beneficial than a rubber band."
Earlier this year, the product picked up an unwelcome accolade when it became the recipient of one of Australian consumer watchdog CHOICE’s wonderfully-namedShonky Awards.
CHOICE admitted that it had made the award “with some reluctance,” pointing out that “when Australian Skeptics demonstrated on Today Tonight that it patently didn’t do anything, subsequent sales skyrocketed: apparently any publicity is good publicity after all.”
The consumer oranisation added that it conducted its own tests “under controlled laboratory conditions – after all, you can’t believe everything you see on TV – and verified the Skeptics’ findings.”
It added: “The money-back guarantee, however, did work. The only power this bracelet seems to have, placebo effect notwithstanding, is in tipping its distributor’s bank balance well and truly into the black – they’re reportedly raking it in. So, if a fool and his money are soon parted, there are apparently plenty of fools out there – and they’re all conveniently identified with a rubber band bracelet. If you see one, offer to sell them a bridge.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________
23 December 2010 Last updated at 11:09 GMT
Power Balance forced to refund customers
Shaquille O'Neill has endorsed Power Balance wristbandsThe maker of the Power Balance bracelet worn by many athletes has been forced to admit misleading advertising and to refund customers in Australia.
Power Balance admitted there was no scientific evidence for its claims the bracelet improved "balance, strength and flexibility".
It had been pressed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to back up its claims.
Sportstars such as Shaquille O'Neill and Kevin Pietersen wear the bracelet.
'Unsubstantiated claims'"Suppliers of these types of products must ensure that they are not claiming supposed benefits when there is no supportive scientific evidence," said ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel.
"Consumers should be wary of other similar products on the market that make unsubstantiated claims, when they may be no more beneficial than a rubber band."
Power Balance has agreed to amend its website and packaging, as well as remove the words "performance technology" from the wristband itself.
It has also agreed to publish accurate advertising and refund customers who feel they may have been misled.
_______________________________________________________________________
Solo soy yo en este momento, pero mas tarde seré otro infinitamente mejor, más guapo, exitoso e inteligente.
