ASA Adjudication on Gallaher Ltd. (A12-208266)

A series of print ads by a tobacco company claimed that the British government had rejected a proposal to require plain packaging of cigarettes in 2008 due to lack of evidence. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found the tobacco company ads to be misleading because the word “rejected” overstated the government’s actions. Instead, the ASA found that the government had kept the proposal for plain packaging under review to be considered at a later date. However, the ASA found that the tobacco company did back up its claim that there was a lack of evidence in 2008 that plain packaging would prevent young people from starting to smoke. The ASA ordered the tobacco company not to claim that the government had “rejected” the policy of plain packaging for cigarettes in 2008.

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ASA Adjudication on Gallaher Ltd, Complaint Ref: A12-208266 (2014).

  • United Kingdom
  • Mar 26, 2014
  • Advertising Standards Authority

Parties

Plaintiff

  • ASH
  • ASH Scotland
  • Cancer Research UK

Defendant Gallaher LTD t/a JTI

Legislation Cited

Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP Code), Edition 12, Rule 3.1 (Misleading Advertising)

Related Documents

Type of Litigation

Tobacco Control Topics

Substantive Issues

Type of Tobacco Product

None