The ad showed a woman at a supermarket checkout buying an unbranded water softener. A voiceover said: “A cheap water softener could sometimes turn out to be rather expensive.”

The ad ratcheted up the price to £638 as it totalled the cost of a new washing machine, water damage and breakdown costs and ended with the voiceover “Washing machines live longer with Calgon”.

Complainants said that the ad was misleading because they did not believe that the cost of buying Calgon over the course of a lifetime of a washing machine would make the advertised savings.

Reckitt Benckiser said that the final till total of £639 could only be seen by freezing frames and that was not how the ad was intended to be viewed.

The Advertising Standards Authority said that although the till counter was running quickly viewers were likely to see a £600 plus figure and that comparative testing of the product over time was needed to substantiate Reckitt Benckiser’s claims.

A spokesperson for Reckitt Benckiser says:

Reckitt Benckiser is disappointed at the ASA ruling relating to our recent Calgon TV advertisement. There is very clear independent evidence that regular use of the product, particularly in hard water areas, has a significant cost saving impact. Calgon works to keep limescale under control helping prevent machine breakdown and heating elements clear & working efficiently; and softens the water – to protect & improve the feel of clothes and ensure less use of detergent. We remain confident therefore that the claims made in the advertisement are valid.

Calgon is available in the market in form of powder, tablets and gel and hence can be bought in any of the three forms in accordance with one’s individual requirements. While Calgon powder is especially formulated to effectively counter the lime scaling effect of hard water especially in washing machines, the Calgon tablets and the Calgon gel perform the same task although their method of usage is slightly different.

Due to its popularity as a water softener, it has enjoyed being the center line of many commercials and a particularly memorable advertisement featuring the Calgon water softener which ran uninterrupted for many years featured a Caucasian woman and a Chinese gentleman.

Calgon ball tablets are different from the other water softening tablets in the sense that they feature anti limescale actives in high concentration which take only a few seconds to dissolve in the water and provide a measured dose. Likewise, a single cap of Calgon gel is a fast dissolving liquid which not only effectively neutralizes the lime scale but also flushes it away during the wash cycle.

Similarly, the commercials of Calgon softener all over Europe have been translated into almost every regional European language and its mention in the famous soap operas further stresses its popularity.

At the store, consumers may purchase 15-, 30-, and 50-tablet packs, where users place the tablets in the main wash compartment of the dispensing section of the washer.

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I love calgon as much as the next person but there is no way that this little bottle of Calgon is worth $38!!!!

This Merchant must be insane… or think the rest of us are insane. This is jacked up at least 5 times higher than what it is worth.

I had wanted some because my store was no longer carrying it… but for this kind of highway robbery, I’ll drive a couple extra blocks to stop off at Krogers and buy it there. There is no excuse for this kind of fleecing and it should be investigated by Amazon.

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Calgon Water Softener is a five star product but…

The seller is apparently hoping you don’t know you can get a case (six bottles) from the manuf. for $34.51.

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The price on this item is fair, but the shipping charge is “easy money” for the seller. Use google and you will find free shipping with the same price.

Read all customer reviews from Amazon.

Some people are known to use the product once a month without detergent to clean out their machines. Another household use is to pour one cup of Calgon powder Water Softener into a bathtub full of water to exfoliate skin, which seldom leaves behind a bathtub ring. A 64-ounce box of powder costs about $10.

It is important to add this laundry aid to washes as an extra boost when cleaning clothes.

Whites become whiter and colors become brighter with the use of Calgon Liquid Gel Water Softener, which not only treats clothing, but also assists in the maintenance of keeping the washing machine tub much cleaner.

A 16-ounce plastic bottle of Calgon Liquid Gel Water Softener offers treatment for an estimated 16 laundry loads.

Immediately, Calgon water softener start working to protect the pipes, pumps, and any additional parts of a washing machine and other items that come in contact with hard water. In the end, the softening process helps parts and other objects last longer and perform at a higher level.

Calgon products work to remove the minerals contained in hard water that traps grime in clothing that causes their appearance and feel to become dull. Today, consumers purchase Calgon water softners based upon personal preference, as the market offers this product in tablet, gel, and powder form.

Calgon water softeners remove the minerals from the water which trap dirt in fabrics. They also help to prevent the build-up of excess detergent and soaps that can leave your clothes looking dull and feeling scratchy. Using Calgon water softeners will extend the life of your washing machine through preventing the build-up of harmful limescale. Calgon water softeners are easy to use as they can be used at any temperature, and come in powder, tablet or gel form. Calgon powder is the original water softener but nowadays many people prefer the convenience of tablets or gel. Each is as effective as the next so which form of Calgon water softener you decide upon is really a matter of personal choice.