ASA Axes Ad After One Complaint

The ASA has banned an advert for pomegranate juice after it ruled that the feature made unauthorised medicinal claims.

A doctor complained to the advertising watchdog about the headline “Healthy Happy Heart” and the text: “Looking after your heart… pomegranate juice could improve heart health and minimalise the risk of strokes… FACTS… pomegranate juice may help to reduce the hardening of the arteries, which can cause heart disease and strokes… pomegranate juice could reduce your chances of contracting prostate cancer.”

Pomegreat disagreed that their ad feature made medicinal claims and argued that it merely claimed to reduce the risk of certain ailments. It asserted that the claims in the ad feature were supported by research and sent the ASA a list of 15 titles of journal articles on the subject. However, they told the advertising authority that they did not plan to use the ad feature again.

The ASA said the claims in the ad feature were medicinal and therefore unacceptable for a food product and that the ad feature should not be used again in its current form.

ASA: 020 7580 5555 www.asa.org.uk