Unilever granted extension to correct Sunlight packaging claims

South Africa’s Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) has granted Unilever a three-month extension to amend the packaging for its Sunlight dishwashing liquid range. The company now has until the end of December 2026 to implement the changes.

The extension follows a ruling that the product’s front-of-pack claim of “100% plant-based actives” was misleading. While the front of the packaging featured the claim, the back of the label disclosed in smaller print that the product contained other non-plant-based additives.

Unilever argued that the claim specifically referred to rhamnolipids, a 100% plant-based active ingredient within the mix. However, the ARB Directorate determined that this interpretation was not sufficiently clear to consumers, who would likely understand the claim to mean that all active ingredients were entirely plant-based.

The required changes must be applied across several packaging formats, including 200ml, 400ml, 750ml, and 1.5L sizes. Unilever noted that additional lead time was necessary to produce and apply the new labels across these various formats.