Slimming down the truth?

28 October 2005

A new survey flags up slimming ads as an area of particular concern to the ASA and to the unsuspecting public. Only half of the ads reviewed in this study that was undertaken by the ASA were found to satisfy the CAP Code, which contains specific rules regarding the advertisement of slimming products and services.

Having found that only 50% of slimming ads were compliant with the CAP Code, the ASA is monitoring the industry closely and has told all advertisers to amend or withdraw ads where breaches were discovered. It has also sent out copies of CAP Help Notes to boost advertisers’ understanding, especially when making claims that require substantiation.

The survey was conducted in January this year because the post-Christmas period is a key time for advertisers in the slimming arena. It is also the time that consumers are most receptive to compelling advertising messages. A sample of ads from women’s magazines and regional press was taken. National newspapers, men’s magazines and titles targeting girls under 18 were not included.

Regional press was found to be a particular problem area, with 88% of the breaches discovered in this media. Most breaches were for slimming pills and ingestibles, which frequently claimed that they could help consumers lose weight by speeding up the metabolism, suppressing appetite and helping to process body fat.

CAP rules stipulate that there should be satisfactory evidence to back up claims and that no ads should mislead through inaccuracy, ambiguity, exaggeration or omission. Testimonials that are not supported by trials do not constitute substantiation. Communications should also not contain claims that people can lose precise amounts of weight within a stated period, or that that weight or fat can be lost from specific parts of the body.

Although many of the ads reviewed in this report contravened the regulations, not one triggered a complaint to the ASA. This is worrying to the ASA because it could suggest that consumers are being taken in by these often misleading claims.

Click here to download the survey