ASA ruling against food business

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that Whitworths Ltd misled consumers by implying that all products in their range contained one portion of a person’s five a day and that the claim “equivalent to 1 portion of your 5 a day” was a comparative nutritional claim.

Whitworth’s ad was a carousel post on Instagram that advertised their new product range but included text stated:

“Getting more nutrition in your day is so simple, it feels like magic. Each powerful little pack of Whitworths 1DERS contains equivalent nutrition to 1 portion of your 5-a-day, with multipacks containing 5 individual bags. Perfect for those daily mid-morning slumps […] each little pack contains a powerful daily nutritional fix. Even scientists, dieticians and nutritionists agree that we should all be consuming nuts, seeds and dried fruit on a daily basis due to their immense nutrient power! So what are you waiting for? Grab your daily hit of Whitworths!”

The complaint was upheld, and the ASA agreed that Whitworth’s ad contained misleading information and made unsubstantiated nutritional claims that did not appear on the approved register. The ASA also noted that 1 of your 5 a day referred to fruit and vegetables and that nuts were not included in this, which contributed to the complaint being upheld.