UK Watchdog Warns Over £70 Fake Air Conditioners as Ads Claim 90-Second Cooling
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 10
UK Watchdog Warns Over £70 Fake Air Conditioners as Ads Claim 90-Second Cooling
2 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 10
Summary
The Advertising Standards Agency said online adverts for portable air conditioners are making misleading claims, including that small devices can cool a room in 90 seconds or an entire home within minutes.
Ads seen on Facebook and YouTube often sell the products for £70 to £120, use fake customer reviews and AI-generated imagery, and pitch them as “former Nasa engineers” designs or secret breakthroughs.
Stuart Matthews, a YouTuber who tested several units, said a £70 device was essentially a small fan with wet cardboard fins—an evaporative cooler that works poorly in humid UK conditions and is not a conventional air conditioner.
The ASA said it is monitoring sites and issuing an enforcement notice to advertisers, while urging shoppers to check retailer details and independent reviews; it can ban offending ads but cannot fine advertisers.