Pig ads misleading, says watchdog
13 February 2001
Pig ads ‘misleading’, says watchdog
By Alistair Driver
ADVERTISING watchdogs have upheld complaints that Meat and Livestock Commission advertisements for British pigmeat were misleading and untruthful.
Advertising Standards Authority officials ruled that the MLC should remove the adverts and take more care not to mislead consumers with future campaigns.
Their decision will be published on Wednesday (13 February).
The adverts, launched last year, claimed that pigmeat sold under the British Quality Standard Mark was more welfare-friendly than imported supplies.
They also claimed that pigs in other countries are still fed on meat and bonemeal, a practice banned in the UK since the height of the BSE crisis in 1996.
European farmers and animal welfare groups were infuriated by the advertisements and complained to the Advertising Standards Authority.
The ASA upheld two out seven complaints made by the Danish Meat and Bacon Council, two animal welfare groups and members of the public.
It ruled that three out of the 11 adverts “misleadingly implied” that pigs reared under the British scheme led a more free life than those abroad.
One of the three adverts featured a picture of a pigs head close to the side of the page with the caption: “The longest walk some pigs can ever look forward to”.
A fourth advert showed a sow suckling piglets and the caption: “After shes fed them, she could be fed to them” – a reference to overseas farming methods.
The authority ruled that the headline could not be substantiated, saying that the likelihood of a piglet eating products from its mother was very small.
John Howard, marketing director of the Danish Meat and Bacon Council, said the ruling contained a clear message for the MLC and the British pig industry.
He added: “We also hope the message is taken on board by MAFF, who gave financial support to a campaign in breach of the ASA Code of Practice.”
The MLC plans to appeal against the decision, which it described as “flawed”.
Richard Lowe, MLC marketing director, said: “The MLC advertisements make very specific claims which are accurate and not misleading.
“We believe in making its decision, the ASA made subjective inferences which are not related to the specific claims made in our advertisement.”