The popular grooming brand Axe is in trouble over a deceptive practice.
No, not for frequently implying that its deodorants work as a supermagnet for attractive women but because an investigation found that certain Axe hair products deceived consumers over how much product was inside, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Axe's parent company, Unilever, settled last week with the Orange County District Attorney's Office for $770,000, according to DA news release, sent out Thursday.
The tubs "were fraudulently constructed and contained substantial empty space," and the packaging misrepresented how much product was contained inside, said the DA's office in an April 30 news release.
An eagle-eyed student interning for the Southern California prosecutor's office in 2013 discovered what appeared to be a false bottom in an Axe hair styling product, the news release said. A county investigation determined the student was right and the DA's office filed a consumer protection lawsuit.
Unilever may no longer use false bottoms, sides, lids or other coverings, or otherwise misrepresent how much product is inside Axe hair products, the prosecutors said. Unilever did not immediately return a phone message requesting comment.
Unilever did not admit fault or liability in the settlement, according to the news release, but is required to place $3 coupons for its hair styling products in all major-market California newspapers.
