How to take action against misleading advertising or unhealthy food products

Take action

How to take action against misleading advertising or unhealthy food products

If you come across dodgy advertising, misleading packaging or if you purchase food or drink that is unfit for consumption you can take action to resolve the situation. The regulatory bodies listed below will take note of your complaint, and take action if they consider your complaint valid.

Advertisements, direct marketing and sales promotions
Sponsorship and commercial influence in broadcast programmes
Editorial content of newspapers and magazines
Food or drink that is unfit for consumption or has misleading packaging

Advertisements, direct marketing and sales promotions
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the body which aims to keep advertising 'legal, decent, honest and truthful'. If you wish to complain about an advertisement, direct marketing, sales promotions or advertorial content (advertisements which appear to be impartial editorial content note) you can do so at the ASA web site www.asa.org.uk or by post to:

The Advertising Standards Authority
Mid-City Place
71 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6QT

Tel: 020 7492 2222

Sponsorship and commercial influence in broadcast programmes
Ofcom, the Office of Communication, is the body which regulates the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services. Ofcom will consider complaints regarding sponsorship issues, such as the credit given to any company sponsoring an item and commercial influence in programmes. You can make a complaint online at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/contact_ofcom/tv_radio/ or by post to:

Ofcom Contact Centre
Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE1 9HA

Tel: 0845 456 3000 or 020 7981 3040

Editorial content of newspapers and magazines
The Press Complaints Commission is an independent body which deals with complaints from members of the public about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines. If you wish to complain about inaccurate reporting please visit their website at http://www.pcc.org.uk/complaint/how_complaint.htm for more information on the correct procedure.

They also have a helpline at 020 7353 3732.

Food or drink that is unfit for consumption or has misleading packaging
Trading Standards Officers are responsible for ensuring that consumer products sold in the UK are safe and correctly labelled. Their remit includes food and drink. If you have a complaint about the safety or labelling of a product a Trading Standards Officer may be able to take action on your behalf. For more information, and to find your nearest Trading Standards Officer, please visit
www.tradingstandards.gov.uk

Note: Advertorial content (advertisements which have the appearance of impartial editorial content) is both common and legal in the UK. However, advertorial content must be described as such, typically with a caption that might read 'Advertisement' or 'Special promotion'. If there is no indication that the advertorial is different from normal editorial, there may be good cause for complaint.