Key facts and figures

Here are some of our key facts and figures which might be of interest:

• ASA has been controlling non-broadcast ads for nearly 50 years
  
  
• ASA ‘one stop shop’ has been responsible for regulating ads across all media since 2004
  
  
• Ads on the internet are subject to the same rules as ads in other media
  
  
• In 2008, ASA dealt with 26,433 complaints
  
  
• 2,475 ads were changed or withdrawn in 2008 as a result of ASA action
  
  
• Complaints to ASA account for less than 1% of total ads seen each year
  
  
• Each year, many millions of ads, sales promotions and direct mail are put out in the UK and the vast majority can be trusted
  
  
• UK advertising codes are some of the strictest in the world 
  
  
• On average, 97% of ads we see each day are in line with the Codes
  
  
• It can take just one complaint to change or remove a problematic ad
  
  
• Nearly half of all complaints to the ASA are about misleading claims
  
  
• ASA system is cost-free to the tax payer 
  
  
• We aim to deal with complaints as fast as possible – in 2008, complaints were resolved within an average of 13 working days
  
• 99% of internet ads comply with the rules