AHDB has Meatless Farm advert pulled

Advert pulled for advertising standards non-compliance
calendar icon 1 December 2021
clock icon 2 minute read

The Meatless Farm Company has withdrawn its adverts following a complaint made by AHDB to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The adverts, which were posted to social media in October, claimed going plant-based boosted energy, and improved mental and physical health.

AHDB filed the complaint to the ASA as the adverts did not comply with advertising codes. Good health claims must be supported by authorised health claims or made by a national medical or nutrition body, or health charity.

Meatless Farm based their claim on a recent study, which concluded that the occasional replacement of animal meat with plant-based meat alternative products, as seen in flexitarian dietary patterns, could promote positive changes in the gut microbiome of consumers.

After reviewing the case, the ASA found the adverts broke advertising rules and requested Meatless Farm no longer use the adverts and remove any still in use.

The complaint forms part of a whole body of work carried out by AHDB to challenge misinformation, provide UK specific evidence to the media and beyond, and to ensure a level playing field within advertising.

Earlier this year, AHDB contacted Oatly following its highly publicised ‘Help Dad’ campaign to highlight inaccuracies in its claim “global livestock emit more GHG emissions than all transport combined”. Oatly subsequently corrected the claim.

"Advertising rules are there to ensure fairness and transparency for consumers, in which AHDB takes an enormous amount of time and effort to ensure compliance," said AHDB Head of Media and PR Phil Maiden.

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