Misleading

A big part of our role is ensuring that ads don’t mislead. In fact, just over 70% of our work involves responding to and tackling concerns about misleading ads.

We should all be able to trust the ads we see and hear. And, in the majority of cases, we can. UK advertisers, by and large, stick to the rules. We only step in on occasions where an advertiser over-exaggerates, omits key information, or makes ambiguous or unclear claims in a way that’s likely to confuse or mislead us into making a purchase we wouldn’t otherwise have made.

The kind of complaints we receive about misleading ads often concern pricing and issues such as hidden costs like booking fees and credit card charges. We also receive complaints about exaggerated savings claims, significant terms and conditions not being made clear, promotions that aren’t run fairly, and health claims that discourage potentially vulnerable people from seeking professional medical advice or treatment.

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Latest rulings

Esaverwatt.com t/a StopWatt
- Upheld
- Website (commercial classified)
- 30 September 2026
A product listing on Amazon for a smart home energy monitoring brand misleadingly exaggerated the effectiveness of the product by making claims that it could save electricity, reduce electricity waste and lower energy bills.
Harnbury Holdings Ltd t/a San Carlo
- Upheld
- Social media (influencer or affiliate ad)
- 23 September 2026
An Instagram post by Pamela Olender for the restaurant San Carlo Cicchetti wasn’t obviously identifiable as an ad and broke the rules by featuring an identifiable less healthy food product.
Here We Flo Ltd t/a Flo
- Social media (own site)
- 23 September 2026
Three Instagram posts for a period product company made misleading environmental claims, including by failing to make the basis of environmental claims clear.
Reliable Medicare Ltd
- Upheld
- Website (own site)
- 23 September 2026
Three product listings on the website of a medical aesthetics and skincare supplier made misleading savings claims.

View all rulings

Misleading

A big part of our role is ensuring that ads don’t mislead. In fact, just over 70% of our work involves responding to and tackling concerns about misleading ads.

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