Reflective of the ASAI’s key and central role as the regulator for the advertising industry, we pride ourselves on our strong relationships with many key stakeholders. We engage with a multiplicity of cross-sectoral stakeholders, representative of the depth and breadth of the Code. Key areas currently include matters concerning children, food and non-alcoholic beverages, alcoholic drinks and health and beauty. 

In 2020, as in previous years, the main area of complaint related to advertising being misleading. 68% of the Code sections raised were those with a provision relating to misleading advertising. The general rules of the Code which relate to areas such as responsibility, portrayal of persons in advertising, recognisability of advertising, depictions of unsafe practices and anti-social behaviour, gave rise to 14% of complaints with those relating to offence at 12%. However, there is a wide range of other issues covered by the Code provisions that were raised by members of the public, including concerns about promotional marketing practices, food and non-alcoholic beverages, health & beauty, e-cigarettes, children, alcohol advertising, slimming, gambling, environmental claims, financial services and products, online behavioural advertising, distance selling and employment advertising.

P.37 Complaints by Sector – including alcohol.