ASA conducts a health check of health and beauty ads

19 November 2009

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) today publishes the results of its Health and Beauty Products and Therapies Advertisements Survey 2009. It reveals a 95.1% compliance rate with the Advertising Codes.

As part of its commitment to protecting consumers and maintaining a level-playing field amongst competitors, the ASA Compliance team periodically conducts pro-active surveys to assess compliance rates for ads in particular industries, sectors or media.

Health and beauty products and therapies is the fifth most complained-about sector to the ASA. Encouragingly, the results of this latest survey are an improvement on the last one carried out in 2006 when the compliance rate was 90.5%.

In total 451 ads across media were assessed including, for the first time, online ads. No breaches were identified in broadcast media (TV and radio). Of the 396 non-broadcast ads assessed, we considered that 22, (5.5%) breached the Code.

The Code breaches that were identified during the survey included:

• A lack of robust scientific evidence to back up claims 
• Exaggerated claims about the efficacy of products or treatments 
• The advertising of prescription-only medicines, which is illegal 
• Failing to hold a marketing authorisation and making misleading, irresponsible and unauthorised medicinal claims

The Compliance team contacted those advertisers found in breach and sought an assurance that their advertising would comply fully in future.

The self-regulatory system is designed to help advertisers adhere to the Codes by providing ongoing support through training, guidance and broadcast clearance checks. Advertisers are also encouraged to help improve the non-broadcast compliance rate even further by using the free CAP Copy Advice service, a team of experts who provide free and confidential advice on non-broadcast ad campaigns.

ASA Chief Executive, Guy Parker said: “The Advertising Standards Authority is here to work with the health and beauty sector to help improve compliance with the Codes. Encouragingly the survey suggests the sector is, by and large, adhering to the rules. Nonetheless, the ASA will continue to tackle ads that make unsubstantiated or irresponsible claims in order to continue the good progress that has been made.”

Download the Health & Beauty Product and Therapies Survey.