CWQA Position Statement

Product Promotion Guidelines

CWQA Position:

CWQA believes the primary responsibility for truthful and non descriptive advertising and product promotional claims rests with the advertiser. Water treatment professionals must be prepared to substantiate any product benefit claims with factual data obtained from tests conducted by potentially competent personnel following established test procedures which data is in existence at the time such claims are made (Canadian Competition Act). Statements which are censured, misleading, deceptive, fraudulent, falsely disparaging of competitors or others or which constitute insincere offers to sell shall not be used.

Summary:

Concerns have been expressed to CWQA by various agencies of the Canadian federal government and provincial governments and members of the water treatment industry that the general level of industry advertising and promotional claims often fall below acceptable norms of accuracy and completeness. Although CWQA is not necessarily in full agreement with these expressions, it nevertheless believes it should respond to them on behalf of the industry in a positive and effective manner. To stimulate companies in the water treatment industry to undertake a thorough and comprehensive review of their promotional material, CWQA has promulgated Water Quality Improvement Promotion Guidelines (WQA). The sole purpose of these guidelines is to provide guidance to companies in the point-of-use water quality improvement industry in their efforts to minimize the likelihood that their advertising and other promotional material will mislead the public.

Companies in the point-of-use water quality improvement industry are fully aware that they cannot, acting either through CWQA or otherwise, agree on matters relating to the form or content of their promotional material or their policies in these areas. Promotional Material, including advertising and sales presentation material is a key element in competition and must be left to each individual company to develop for itself.