Review process

In certain circumstances, advertisers or complainants can request a review of the ASA Council’s adjudication, including a Council decision not to investigate a complaint after its deliberation.

Both sides have 21 days to ask the Independent Reviewer of ASA Adjudications, Sir Hayden Phillips, to review the case in the rare instance where a substantial flaw of process or adjudication is apparent, or where additional relevant evidence becomes available.

If the Independent Reviewer decides not to accept the request (in whole or in part) because he considers that it does not meet either of the two grounds set out above he will inform the person making the request accordingly.

If the Reviewer accepts a request, he will inform the other parties to the case that a request for review has been accepted and invite their comments on the submission made by the party requesting the review.  At the conclusion of his investigation, he will make a recommendation to the ASA Council which may ask for the Council to reconsider its ruling. 

The Council's adjudication on reviewed cases is final and the Independent Reviewer will inform all parties of the Council's decision. Adjudications that are revised following a review will be published on this website.

Full details of the independent review procedure are set out in the Advertising Codes.