All but one of 13 advertising code complaints upheld

Supervalu, Eircom, Vodafone, the Dublin Airport Authority, and even a psychic healer have all been rapped for breaching advertising codes.

Twelve of the 13 complaints made by members of the public to the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland were upheld.

One of the complaints upheld related to an advert for “gifted psychic healer”, Donald Moore, which claimed he could heal “asthma, arthritis, depression, miscarriage, smoking/weight control, ME, tumours, anxiety, emotional upset, vertigo, insomnia, IBS, self-harm, etc”.

The ASAI said that the advertiser failed to respond to the complaint and noted that this was “not the first instance of this style of advertising by the particular advertiser”.

A complaint against Supervalu was also upheld after it had falsely advertised a bottle of wine in a half-price sale when it was only one cent cheaper than the regular sale price.

A customer made the complaint after discovering a four-month-old receipt which showed the wine as being sold for its normal price of €8.50. It was being sold in the half price sale for €8.49.

In response, Supervalu admitted that the mistake was the result of a “mix-up” between its trading and marketing departments and apologised for the error.

A complaint against Vodafone was also upheld after the complainant stated he was not aware that availing of the ‘New phone every year’ offer would automatically result in a further 24-month contract with the phone provider.

Vodafone argued that the contract clearly stipulated that each price plan was subject to terms and conditions and it forwarded a screen shot of their price-plan webpage which highlighted that terms and conditions were applicable.

However, the ASAI upheld the complaint against Vodafone, stating that it should be possible to directly link from an offer to the terms and conditions.

Other complaints upheld included an offer from the Dublin Airport Authority for a free cup of coffee and fast-track through security for those booking its short-term car park; and a Danone Actimel advert claiming that a breakfast was required for a healthy immune system.

-asai.ie/complaints.asp