A food supplement brand Huel has received its third ruling from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for a banned advertisement. The latest banned advert from Huel made unsubstantiated claims regarding the product's health benefits and affordability compared to fruits and vegetables.
Unsubstantiated Claims
The ASA investigated a post on Huel's Instagram account where company founder Julian Hearn claimed that their product, Huel Daily Greens, provided all the necessary nutrients for the body to thrive. The post also mentioned that the product was 'substantially cheaper' than an equivalent portion of greens. However, the ASA found that there was no evidence to support this claim, leading to the ban.
Regulatory Compliance
According to the ASA, all health claims for food and food supplements must be authorized by a regulator and presented clearly without exaggeration. The ASA emphasized that the claims made by Huel did not align with any authorized health claims on the Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims register.
Previous Bans
This is not the first time Huel has faced scrutiny from the ASA. In a previous ruling, Huel was found to have omitted material information about its commercial relationship with celebrity entrepreneur Steven Bartlett. Another banned advert from Huel in February 2023 suggested that their meal replacement shakes could save money on food bills without clarifying the conditions.
In conclusion, the ASA ruled that the latest advert from Huel must not appear again due to the misleading claims it contained. This ruling highlights the importance of transparency and accuracy in advertising, especially when it comes to health claims and product comparisons.