HEALTH AD 'TOO SCARY'

A radio advertisement stating that “fizzy drinks and fruit juice make our children sick” led to the severe distress of a child, who questioned whether her school was poisoning her by giving her fruit juice to drink.

This in turn prompted her father to turn to the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB), who found that the advertisement by the Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) was misleading. 

It found that the advertisement went too far in its shock value, leading the public, especially children, to believe that the consumption of sugary drinks will in all cases lead to chronic illness.

HEALA.org, a non-profit organisation, used the advert to inspire the public to sign a petition in favour of the sugar tax. 

After the ARB ruled against it, the organisation turned to the Advertising Appeal Committee (AAC) to take a second look at the matter. 

The complaint was that the advert creates the impression that any consumption of sugary drinks will cause disease.

In defending the radio ad, HEALA said it makes a very narrow claim – that "sugary beverages make children ill by leading to obesity, heart disease and diabetes later in life". It argued the advertisement does not claim definitively that consuming sugar-sweetened drinks will always cause this disease, it said.

Although finding the advertisement is misleading, the committee commended the work that HEALA is doing in the interests of public health. It ruled the advertisement must not be aired in its current form.