We know that the public are very passionate about animal welfare. Advertisers must ensure they prepare any ads involving, or depicting, animals in an appropriate way under our harm and offence rules. They must also be careful not to over-exaggerate and mislead consumers when it comes to advertising organic foods or referring to animal testing in ads.
Advertisers shouldn’t claim that animals raised organically are better provided for than they are. Absolute statements regarding animal welfare or any claims regarding farming methods must be backed up by documentary evidence which should be available on request.
When it comes to making claims about “organic” foods or ingredients, it is important advertisers are aware of the legislation that underpins the ad rules in this area as there is an EU law that sets the minimum standards for these types of claims. Foods can’t be referred to as “organic” or “made with organic ingredients” unless they meet these standards and, furthermore, come from farmers, processors or importers who are registered with an approved certification body and are subject to regular inspections.
A TV ad for Assured Food Standard’s Red Tractor Scheme failed to make clear exactly which standards it was referring to, or the degree to which those standards were being met when using the claim “farmed with care” in conjunction with “all our standards are met.”
A YouTube video, TV ad and poster didn't misleadingly represent the welfare standards afforded to animals farmed under the RSPCA Assured scheme.
Two posts for dogfood company on their Instagram page featured videos of Geogia Toffolo made misleading claims that other pet food products posed significant health risks or led to chronic diseases, the provenance of ingredients in other pet food products and discredited or denigrated other competitors’ products.
Two paid-for Google search ads for Petchip.Network misleadingly implied they were an approved database to comply with the legal requirements for microchipping cats and dogs.
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