Srixon products that advertised themselves as the most-used golf balls in domestic professional golf tournaments have been sanctioned for false and exaggerated labeling. The Korea Fair Trade Commission said on the 9th that it ordered corrective measures and imposed a penalty surcharge of 206 million won on Dunlop Sports Korea for advertising contrary to the facts.
According to the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC), since Aug. 2022, Dunlop Sports Korea repeatedly used the phrase "No. 1 in KPGA ball usage rate" while promoting Srixon golf balls through its website, social media, YouTube, outdoor advertising, and internet newspapers and magazines. Some ads also included the expression "the most influential ball chosen by KPGA pros."
The Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) determined that such ads were highly likely to make consumers perceive the product as the most-used golf ball on the KPGA first-division tour. In reality, the basis was the combined usage rate of the KPGA first, second, and third divisions during parts of July, August, and November 2022, but the ads did not sufficiently explain this premise.
The Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) also said that objective data to support the phrase "No. 1 in usage rate" had not been sufficiently secured, as usage rate data were presented for only 12 of the 18 tournaments held during the period. It viewed this as creating a risk of distorting consumers' rational purchase decisions.
Finding fault with the fact that the false and exaggerated ads spread in article form based on press releases distributed by Dunlop Sports Korea, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) also issued an order requiring the company to publish the sanction on its website.
An official at the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said, "If you use expressions like 'No. 1,' you must be able to prove the facts based on objective data," and noted, "If the ad is based on professional tournament usage rates, the scope and criteria must be clearly disclosed."