National Advertising Division Finds Certain Lysol Air Sanitizer Claims Supported; Recommends Reckitt Discontinue Certain Odor Elimination Claims

Core Viewpoint - The National Advertising Division (NAD) has found that certain claims made by Reckitt Benckiser regarding its Lysol Air Sanitizer are supported, while others, particularly unqualified "eliminates odor" claims, should be discontinued [1][2][7]. Odor Elimination Claims - P&G challenged various "eliminates odor" claims made by Reckitt for Lysol Air Sanitizer across multiple platforms, including product labels, websites, and social media [3][4]. - NAD determined that the evidence provided by Reckitt did not support the claim that Lysol Air Sanitizer eliminates all odors at a molecular level [5][6]. - NAD recommended discontinuing claims that suggest Lysol Air Sanitizer eliminates all household malodors and the perception of odor at a sensory level [6]. Comparison to Air Fresheners - P&G contested claims comparing Lysol Air Sanitizer to air fresheners, asserting that only Lysol can remove viruses and bacteria from the air [8][9]. - NAD found that the advertising did not convey a broad message of superiority over air fresheners like Febreze, but supported claims regarding odor reduction [9]. Social Media Advertising - P&G challenged TikTok posts by a Lysol influencer, but NAD found the product was used according to label instructions [10]. - NAD determined that certain claims in website videos and commercials implied that Lysol Air Sanitizer eliminates all malodors, which was unsupported [11]. - Reckitt voluntarily discontinued certain TikTok videos that misrepresented product use, which NAD treated as compliance with its recommendations [13]. Advertiser Response - Reckitt expressed disagreement with NAD's conclusions regarding its sensory testing but accepted the findings related to the reviewed advertising [14].