Food, drink and supplements

Helpful information on how to advertise Food, Drink and Supplements in line with the advertising rules, and examples of previous Advertising Standards Authority rulings in this area.

The advertising of food, drink and supplements has come under scrutiny for a variety of reasons, such as concerns around promoting the consumption of unhealthy foods or making dubious nutritional claims. To protect consumers, especially children, and prevent them from being misled, we have strict rules in place for the advertising of food, drink and supplements.

When it comes to children, the emphasis is on advertisers creating responsible ads and the rules make clear they should not promote poor nutritional habits or unhealthy lifestyles. Advertisers are not allowed to use licensed characters in food and drink ads targeted at children, nor can they feature sales promotions in content targeted at this audience. We have also previously banned ads that exploit children’s vulnerability by suggesting they would be inferior if they did not eat or buy the product being advertised, and ads that have encouraged “pester power”.

Another key aspect of advertising food, drink and supplements is the promotion of the product’s health benefits. Advertisers are, of course, entitled to bring to the public’s attention the nutritional worth of their products but the rules in place are tough. The Advertising Codes reflect wide-reaching EU legislation and advertisers must hold evidence for authorised health claims as required by an EU Register. Claims that state or imply a food, drink or supplement prevents, treats or cures human disease are not permitted under any circumstances. Reduction of disease claims are allowed but only if they appear on the EU Register and only if they are presented clearly without exaggeration.

+ Read more - Show less

Latest rulings

SnackVerse Ltd
- Upheld
- Website (own site)
- 20 May 2026
A webpage for a snack subscription box misleadingly implied their subscribers would receive a specific country-themed box but didn’t make clear this was subject to allocation conditions.
GLP-1 Pro Ltd t/a GuLP-1
- Upheld
- 06 May 2026
Two webpages for a food supplement company made claims that a supplement could prevent, treat or cure human disease and made unauthorised health and medicinal claims. The ads also compared the effects of a food supplement to those associated with weight-loss prescr...
Bakkavor Ltd
- Upheld
- Packaging (promotion)
- 29 April 2026
A promotion featured on the packaging of a cookie dough dessert misleadingly implied that particular products were included in the promotion, causing unnecessary disappointment.
Birling Shore Ltd t/a ShroomIQ
- Upheld
- Social media (paid ad), Website (own site)
- 22 April 2026
A website and paid-for Facebook ad for a children’s supplement brand stated that a food supplement could prevent, treat or cure the symptoms of ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, anxiety and depression. The ads also made medicinal claims for unauthorised products, made unauthorised health claims&nb...

View all rulings

Food, drink and supplements

Helpful information on how to advertise Food, Drink and Supplements in line with the advertising rules, and examples of previous Advertising Standards Authority rulings in this area.

Latest news

Giving mental health the airtime it deserves – Mental Health Awareness Week

Avoid a false start with our sports supplement marketing tips

Three key tips for green claims this Earth Day

Not even Fenton would run away from our marketing tips

ADHD References in Ads

Shellebrate Easter with some promotional advertising advice

Latest rulings

SnackVerse Ltd

GLP-1 Pro Ltd t/a GuLP-1

Bakkavor Ltd

Birling Shore Ltd t/a ShroomIQ

Help getting it right

Popular advice

Food: HFSS Media Placement

Less healthy food and drink: advertising guidance

Multi-Level Marketing

Relevant codes

12 Weight control and slimming

13 Food, food supplements and associated health or nutrition claims

15 Food, food supplements and associated health or nutrition claims

13 Weight control and slimming