Ad description
National press, TV, sponsored Facebook, regional press and radio ads for Smart Energy GB seen or heard in April 2019 advertised smart meters:
a. The national press showed an image of a young boy above text which stated "I WANT TO BREATHE CLEANER AIR". The display of a smart meter with the needle pointing to green was shown alongside. Further text stated "Smart meters don't solve climate change on their own. But with the smarter, more efficient energy grid they help to create, they're a start".
b. The TV ad showed a young girl waking in bed. Her voice-over said, "I want to live in a world where we still have polar bears"; a young boy jumping on a trampoline with his voice-over which said, "I want to live in a world where we can breathe cleaner air"; a teenage boy and girl in a field with wind turbines in the background with the voice-over of a child which stated, "Where we use more sustainable energy" and another young boy running alongside an electricity pylon with his voice-over, "Where we're doing everything we can to save what we have". Adult voice-over then stated, "We all want to make big changes to help our planet, but sometimes to make big changes we have to start small. Smart meters can't solve climate change on their own, but with the smarter, more energy efficient grid they help to create, they're a start." At this point in the ad, a young girl stood on the balcony of a flat as giant butterflies flew past. Her voice-over stated, "I want to live in a beautiful world". A smart meter dial with the arrow pointing to green was shown on-screen. An adult voice-over and on-screen text stated, "Search I want a smart meter or call [0300 number] today".
c. The sponsored Facebook post showed a photograph of a father holding a sleeping toddler. Large text across the photograph stated "I WANT TO BREATHE CLEANER AIR". Text above the photograph stated "Getting a smart meter helps build a smart grid for a greener future, as well as letting you track and reduce your energy".
d. The regional press ad showed a photograph of a young girl above text which stated "I WANT TO USE GREENER ENERGY". The display of a smart meter with the arrow pointing to green was shown alongside. Further text stated "Smart meters don't solve climate change on their own. But with the smarter, more efficient energy grid they help to create, they're a start".
e. The radio ad featured a succession of different children's voices which said, "I want to live in a world where we still have polar bears"; "I want to live in a world where we can breathe cleaner air"; "I want to live in a world where our energy supply won't run out"; "Where we use more sustainable energy"; "Where we burn less fossil fuels"; "Where we are kinder to our environment"; "Where we reduce CO2 emissions" and "Where we take climate change seriously". An adult voice then stated, "We all want to make big changes to help our planet, but sometimes to make big changes we have to start small. Smart meters can't solve climate change on their own, but with the smarter, more energy efficient grid they help to create, they're a start." A young girl's voice then stated, "I want to live in a beautiful world." The adult voice then stated, "Search I want a smart meter or call [0300 number] today. From the campaign for a smarter Britain."
Issue
The complainants challenged whether the ads gave a misleading impression of the environmental benefits of smart meters.Response
Smart Metering Communications Body Ltd t/a Smart Energy GB said that, as well as sending meter readings to a customer’s energy supplier, the data relating to when and where peak demand occurred, smart meters provided enabled energy suppliers and network operators to: make better use of renewable energy; plan the provision of energy more effectively; and balance energy use by shifting it away from traditional peak times, when, so that demand could be met, suppliers were currently reliant on energy generated from fossil fuel. Consumers could also use the information the meters provided about their consumption patterns to modify their behaviour and reduce consumption.
Smart Energy GB said government plans for wider uptake of battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Ofgem saw as vital to cutting carbon emissions and tackling air pollution, and electric heat pumps would increase demand for electricity as reliance moved away from more carbon intensive fuels such as petrol and gas. That would therefore increase the need for the information supplied by smart meters if the demand for power for vehicle charging was to be met. Smart Energy GB recognised that smart meters would not stop climate change on their own but considered them to be a contributing factor. They cited a statement published by BEIS, which described smart meters as “a key enabler” in providing information to help improve network management, with the intention of needing to generate less power. They also cited statements published by the Committee on Climate Change, which explained that emissions could be lowered by becoming energy efficient and by switching to low-carbon fuels, and by Ofgem, which explained the need for flexibility in anticipating demand to help balance generation to facilitate the use of weather-dependent renewables to enable greater uptake of new types of demand such as electric transport. Smart Energy GB said claims were qualified in each ad where that was possible and the ads did not omit significant information. They said the Facebook post did not have sufficient space to include the qualification, and as a result the claim was worded more cautiously.
The ad also included a “Learn More” button which consumers could click on to be taken to Smart Energy GB’s website for more information.
Concerning ad (b), the TV ad, Clearcast said they had seen substantiation from Smart Energy GB which demonstrated how smart meters allowed the energy network to understand better how energy was being used, allowing them to integrate renewables into the energy system and move towards a lower carbon future. They said they had advised Smart Energy GB to word claims cautiously, which they saw reflected in the reference to a “more energy efficient grid they help to create, they're a start".
Concerning ad (e), Radiocentre said the ad was approved on the basis that it made clear that the environmental benefits of smart meters were derived from the more efficient energy systems they help to create, a claim for which they had seen evidence from Smart Energy GB.
Assessment
Not upheld
The ASA considered readers would interpret ad (a), the national press ad, which included an image of a smart meter with the needle pointing to green and the text "I WANT TO BREATHE CLEANER AIR – Smart meters don’t solve climate change on their own. But with the smarter, more efficient energy grid they help to create, they’re a start” to mean that changing to a smart meter was one step consumers could take to contribute towards reducing the environmental impact of energy production. We considered consumers would interpret the other ads in the campaign in a similar way, with the addition that ad (c), the Facebook post, referred to the smart meter enabling consumers to track, and therefore reduce, their energy usage. We understood that the data captured and reported by smart meters was intended to help the national grid to anticipate demand and plan energy provision more effectively, with less reliance on fossil fuels. We acknowledged that take up of smart meters was one of many factors that contributed to more efficient energy. Nevertheless, we considered the points Smart Energy GB had made, and the BEIS, the Committee on Climate Change and Ofgem comments that they had cited, supported the view that take up of smart meters would play a part, and would therefore contribute to the environmental benefits associated with more efficient energy use.
We therefore concluded that the ads were not likely to mislead. We investigated ads (a), (c) and (d) under CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 3.1 and 3.3 (Misleading advertising) and 11.1 (Environmental claims), but did not find them in breach. We investigated ads (b) and (e) under BCAP Code rules 3.1 and 3.2 (Misleading advertising) and 9.2 (Environmental claims), but did not find them in breach.
Action
No further action necessary.
