Ad description
The website britishsupplements.net, seen in August 2025, featured customer testimonials that included the claims “I’ve been taking this product together with turmeric (anti inflammatory) […] since I had a problem with my back (herniated disc) […] I have noticed from the time I started to take both products very quick improvement in the pain and movement ability”, “[…] Using lions mane [sic], ashwaganda [sic], and D3 & K2, I have managed to wean myself off sertralene [sic], which I’d been taking for 8 years”.
The website included an “All products” webpage that featured the text, “Hey this is where all of our products will be. There is no freedom of speech in the UK so we cant [sic] write what anything might help with. You guys can help with this tho [sic] just leave a review in detail so it can help other people just like you. Then when you use the search bar top right for condition X and it’s in the reviews it should come up”.
Issue
The Good Thinking Society (GTS) challenged whether:
- the testimonials on the website included health claims that breached the Code; and
- the text on the website was misleading because it implied the website provided product information about genuine benefits related to health conditions.
Response
Real Health Supplements Ltd did not respond to the ASA’s enquiries.
Assessment
The ASA was concerned by Real Health Supplements Ltd lack of response and apparent disregard for the Code, which was a breach of CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 1.7 (Unreasonable delay). We reminded them of their responsibility to respond promptly to our enquiries and told them to do so in future.]
1. Upheld
The CAP Code stated that claims which stated or implied a food could prevent, treat or cure human disease were prohibited.
The testimonials in the ad featured the claims, “I’ve been taking this product together with turmeric (anti inflammatory) […] since I had a problem with my back (herniated disc) […] I have noticed from the time I started to take both products very quick improvement in the pain and movement ability” and “Using lions mane [sic], ashwaganda [sic], and D3 & K2, I have managed to wean myself off sertralene [sic], which I’d been taking for 8 years”.
We considered the claims “I have noticed from the time I started to take both products very quick improvement in the pain and movement ability” would likely be understood by consumers as a claim to treat or cure back pain and that the claim, “Using lions mane [sic], ashwaganda [sic], and D3 & K2, I have managed to wean myself off sertralene” [sic], (the anti-depressant medicine, Sertraline) would likely be understood by consumers as an implied reference to treating depression and anxiety.
We therefore considered that the claims to treat or cure back pain and depression and anxiety were claims that a food supplement could prevent, treat or cure disease and were in breach of the Code.
On that point, the ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 15.6.2 (Food, food supplements and associated health or nutrition claims).
2. Upheld
The CAP Code stated that marketing communications must not materially mislead or be likely to do so. The ad stated, “Hey this is where all of our products will be. There is no freedom of speech in the UK so we cant [sic] write what anything might help with. You guys can help with this tho [sic] just leave a review in detail so it can help other people just like you. Then when you use the search bar top right for condition X and it’s in the reviews it should come up”.
We considered consumers were likely to understand that to mean that although certain claims were not permitted, they could use the search function to locate information about the benefits real consumers had seen for their health conditions when using Real Health Supplement’s products.
However, as set out above, claims which stated or implied a food could prevent, treat or cure human disease were prohibited and, as such, claims could not be made in relation to the health benefits of food supplement products, including in testimonials. We therefore concluded that the claims about the references to such health condition benefits that consumers could locate using the search tool were misleading.
On that point, the ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 3.1 (Misleading advertising).
Action
The ads must not appear again in the form complained of. We told Real Health Supplements Ltd to ensure their future advertising did not make claims, or otherwise imply, that food could prevent, treat or cure human disease. We referred the matter to CAP’s compliance team.
