High Court judge hits out at Dyson ads

Dyson Appliances, the vacuum cleaner manufacturer being sued by rival Electrolux, has been criticised by a High Court judge for making “exaggerated and misleading” advertising claims.

Mr Justice Jonathan Parker said that Dyson’s TV advertising was unfair in suggesting that rivals’ products would clog up with dust almost immediately.

Dyson had used an extra fine powder called kaolin, which has been the subject of similar actions in both France and Belgium, to show competitiors’ vacuum cleaners clogging up on “barely a cup” of dust.

The High Court said the powder “grossly exaggerated the clogging effect of dust.”

In response to the decision, Richard John, head of Electrolux Floorcare in the UK, says: “This judgement must surely see an end to such advertising, and we have now instructed our lawyers to seek an injunction to ensure that, in future, Dyson Appliances’ advertising is truthful and helpful.”