Advertising watchdog rules on price reduction claims and the advertising of less healthy foods: The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint made by Which concerning the use of recommended retail prices by a sports retailer. The ASA found that although the company could produce evidence of the prices being recommended by the product manufacturers the company had failed to demonstrate that the product was actually generally being sold in the marketplace at the recommended prices. The ASA has also ruled that an unqualified ‘20% off everything’ claim by Antler should have applied to all items including those subject to other sales promotional discounts. View > View >
What Recent ASA Decisions Mean for Food and Beverage Advertising Under the HFSS Rules: The ASA has ruled that advertising for PLK Chicken UK Ltd t/a ‘Popeyes’ did not feature identifiable less healthy products and therefore was not in breach of the rules and that advertising for ‘coffee’ could be regarded as mere ‘brand advertising’ not featuring a particular product. The ASA has also ruled that Easter egg advertising for Bojangles was exempt from the new rules banning the promotion of less healthy foods online on the basis that the company had less than 250 employees.
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Scottish Government propose setting maximum prices for food: The Scottish Government has launched a detailed consultation on the potential to set maximum prices for essential foods such as eggs, bread and milk. Responses are required by 24 November. View > Association of Convenience Stores > Food and Drink Federation >
Food Standards Agency Board to be updated on plans for national level regulation: At its meeting on 16 September the FSA Board is to receive an update on the executives work in considering the potential for a system of national regulation for larger retailers (and extension of this to out of home and food manufacturing businesses. The Board is asked to agree pursuing approaches where FSA either acts as the competent authority or receiving data directly from the businesses for assessment. View >
Regulatory sandbox to facilitate the introduction of bioengineered ingredients to cosmetic products: The Office for Product safety and Standards has announced that it is to establish a ‘sandbox approach’ for businesses developing, manufacturing or using bioengineered cosmetic ingredients that have encountered regulatory questions, safety assessment challenges or uncertainty in applying the GB Cosmetics Regulation. View > View >
