Bulgaria Competition Watchdog Slaps Big Fine on Snacks Producer

The advertising slogan of Chippie "There Is No Better than Ours" got it in trouble with the competition watchdog. Photo by Publicis

Bulgaria’s Competition Protection Commission has fined a snacks producer company and its advertising agency over a misleading TV ad.

The producer of the nuts of the “Chippie” brand – Intersnack Bulgaria, and the company that developed its advertising strategy – Publicis, each got fined because their ads led consumers to believe that all of their nuts originated in Bulgaria.

Thus, Intersnack Bulgaria gets a fine of BGN 246 180 and Publicis – of BGN 172 225. The Competition Protection Agency has also ordered the termination of the violation.

The advertising campaign of the Chippie nuts was under the slogan “There Is No Better than Ours”, creating the impression that the product is genuinely Bulgarian by showing folklore dances and typical Bulgarian holidays.

The Commission has found that with the exception of sunflower seeds, the other nuts sold by Chippie come from Argentina, China, Iran, Turkey, Mozambique, and USA.

Upon determining the sanctions of the two companies, the Commission has taken into account the duration and scope of their violation, their financial condition, and their cooperation.

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