ASA Adjudication on Greggs plc

Ad

A TV ad, for Greggs, showed a steak bake that was cut open. The voice-over stated "With none of them hydrogenated fats, Greggs Steak Bake'll dance on your taste buds like a meaty ballerina ...".

Issue

A viewer, who believed Greggs products did contain hydrogenated fats, challenged whether the ad misleadingly implied:

1. the Steak Bake did not contain hydrogenated fats; and

2. Greggs products did not contain hydrogenated fats.

BCAP TV Code

Response

Greggs said they currently had no plans to repeat the ad.

1. Greggs stated that the Steak Bake did not contain hydrogenated fats.  They sent declaration forms, signed by each of the suppliers who provided ingredients for the Steak Bake, which confirmed that all the ingredients were free from hydrogenated fats.

Clearcast said they were happy to approve the ad because Greggs had provided them with ingredient lists which showed that their Steak Bake did not contain hydrogenated fats.

2. Greggs said the ad specifically claimed that the Steak Bake did not contain hydrogenated fats.  They argued that the ad made no claims about any other products in their range.

Clearcast believed the ad made clear that it was referring only to the Steak Bake and they therefore did not request information on any other Greggs products at script approval stage.

Assessment

1. Not upheld

The ASA was satisfied that Greggs had substantiated the claim that their Steak Bake did not contain hydrogenated fats.

On this point, we investigated the ad under CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Code rules 5.1 (Misleading advertising) and 5.2.1 (Evidence) but did not find it in breach.

2. Not upheld

We considered the claim "With none of them hydrogenated fats, Greggs Steak Bake'll dance on your taste buds like a meaty ballerina ..." was likely to be seen as referring only to the Steak Bake.  We considered the ad was unlikely to be seen as suggesting that no Greggs product contained hydrogenated fats.  We concluded that the ad was unlikely to mislead on this point.

On this point, we investigated the ad under CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Code rule 5.1 (Misleading advertising) but did not find it in breach.

Action

No further action required.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Broadcast)