Huel Ad Banned by Regulator for the Second Time in Two Months

A watchdog has banned yet another advert for food supplement firm Huel for making unsubstantiated claims about the product’s health benefits and cost relative to fruits and vegetables.

Meal Replacement Brand Faces Another Setback Over Misleading Claims

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an advert from meal replacement brand Huel for the second time in just two months. The ad, which featured Huel founder Julian Hearn, was posted on the company’s Instagram account and promoted their Daily Greens product. In the video, Hearn stated, “You’ve been told your whole life to eat greens, and a lot of people can’t get that amount of greens into their diet. We’ve taken a very broad range of greens, so you get a product which is equally good, or in my eyes better, but you get it substantially cheaper.”

Misleading Claims Breach Advertising Code

The ASA ruled that the claims made in the advert violated the advertising code. Specifically, the regulator took issue with Hearn’s assertion that Huel Daily Greens provided as much or more nutritional content as an equivalent portion of green vegetables, stating that this was not a “permitted comparative nutrient claim.” Additionally, Huel failed to substantiate other claims in the advert, such as the product being “substantially cheaper” than a daily intake of fresh green vegetables.

The ASA further noted that Huel did not provide sufficient evidence to support health-related assertions such as “superfoods to supercharge your health,” “gut-friendly probiotics,” and “all the nutrients your body needs to thrive.” These unproven claims led to the ad being deemed misleading.

Repeat Offense: Huel’s Previous Ad Ban

This marks the second time in two months that Huel has faced regulatory action over its advertising. In August, another of the brand’s ads was banned after the ASA found that a Facebook advert featuring entrepreneur Steven Bartlett breached the code. The advert misleadingly omitted the fact that Bartlett was one of Huel’s directors, making it non-compliant with advertising regulations.

Huel’s Response and Future Advertising Practices

The repeated bans highlight the importance of adhering to strict advertising standards, particularly when making health-related claims. Huel will need to carefully review its future marketing strategies and ensure all claims are substantiated and compliant with the ASA’s guidelines to avoid further penalties and damage to its brand reputation.

Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call for Health Brands

Huel’s recent setbacks serve as a reminder to health and nutrition brands of the critical need for transparency and evidence-based advertising. As the demand for health products grows, so does the scrutiny from regulators. Moving forward, companies in this sector must ensure their marketing practices are both truthful and compliant to maintain consumer trust and avoid regulatory repercussions.