Gold Coast therapeutic bed supplier Revitalife denies ‘deceptive’ sales tactics
A Gold Coast supplier of therapeutic beds and chairs is facing potential action by the consumer watchdog following a complaint of misleading and deceptive conduct.
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A GOLD Coast supplier of therapeutic beds and chairs has denied it makes “dubious medical claims” and uses “heavy handed” sales tactics after complaints.
Consumer advocate Choice said it had received numerous complaints Molendinar-based Revitalife uses high-pressure sale tactics to sell “therapeutic sleep systems” including beds and chairs to thousands of elderly Australians with little to no evidence of claimed health benefits.
Choice head of policy and government relations Julia Steward has written to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission asking the body to investigate the marketing practices, medical claims and contractual clauses in documents provided to customers Clew Holdings Pty Ltd, which trades as Revitalife.
But a Revitalife spokeswoman denied the allegations saying it never claimed to be a healthcare provider.
“We do however care about our customers’ health and take it very seriously, so our focus does differ from that of simply a furniture store,” she said.
“Under our TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) registration, we claim our products may increase blood flow, circulation and increase tissue oxygenation.
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“We’d never mislead our customers and we believe it’s very clear on our website we sell beds that our customers say help them sleep better.”
Revitalife markets adjustable beds and recliner-lift chairs with whole-body vibration therapy.
The beds are said to help clients with respiratory conditions to sleep better by improving circulation and oxygenation.
A product used in some of its beds, called Celliant which it markets on behalf of the US owner under licence, is said to use minerals and “proprietary ingredients” embedded into the fibre of mattresses to enhance tissue oxygen levels, improve athletic performance, sleep quality, health and wellness.
Ms Steward claimed in her request to the ACCC that Revitalife inflated its healthcare credentials and represented itself as a healthcare provider.
She said of 13 clinical papers cited as evidence to back up its claims, just one was to do with sleep quality.
That was a 2010 University of California study of six participants and did not refer to the subjects being elderly or having sleep problems other than lower back pain.
Ms Steward also claimed Revitalife had committed multiple breaches of Australian Consumer Law.
One alleged breach related to a contractual clause that left it up to Revitalife to choose how to provide a refund – whether through replacement or repair – rather than the consumer.
In response, Revitalife said there was significant clinical evidence to back up the claims about Celliant.
A spokeswoman said Revitalife was transparent and open with the way it marketed products and had committed no breaches of Australian Consumer Law.
She said no pressure was placed on clients to buy the beds and the purchase agreement included a 10-day cooling off period.
“We put incredible effort and energy into our sales and customer care,” she said.
“There’s nothing nefarious about our old-fashioned obligation-free home visits – customers can choose to have one or not have one.”
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