Which? questions Comfort ‘claims’

Lever Fabergé has been criticised for “questionable” marketing by the Consumer Association (CA) following research which concluded that Comfort Fast Dry fails to meet its brand promise.

The CA tested Lever Fabergé’s claim that Comfort Fast Dry shortened drying times by increasing the amount of water removed during the spin cycle.

The tests found that clothes washed using Comfort Fast Dry – as well as Procter & Gamble’s Lenor – actually retained more water than using no fabric conditioner at all. The report, which is to be published in its Which? consumer guide, concludes that “if a faster drying time is more important than softness, forget the fabric conditioner next time you do the laundry.”

Liam McCormack, head of product research, says Lever Fabergé’s marketing strategy to promote Comfort Fast Dry as a faster way to dry clothes is “questionable”.

McCormack adds: “We checked the claim that Comfort Fast Dry helps by increasing the amount of water removed during the spin. This proved not to be the case, as the wash containing no fabric conditioner would have dried faster than the other loads.”

This summer Lever Fabergé supported the launch of the range with a £7m television campaign promoting its drying advantages (MW April 24). A company spokeswoman says: “We strongly disagree with the report. We stand by the claims made by our product.”