Aug 23, 2023
Boots infant formula adverts broke rules - watchdog
Online adverts for the retailer Boots promoting four brands of infant formula on Google broke advertising rules, the watchdog has said. In the UK, it is against the law to advertise infant formula for babies up to six months because it might discourage breastfeeding. "There is a wealth of evidence that marketing undermines breastfeeding and safe and appropriate formula feeding. The regulations are not designed to limit access to infant formula, it is the manufacturers and retailers who set prices, and who do so in a manner which ensures high profit margins," the group added. The ASA said the Boots adverts, which appeared on the sidebar on search engine websites like Google, clearly displayed "Images of the infant formula products to mean that the ads were promoting infant formula". Following the ASA ruling, Boots apologised and said it had removed all its infant formula advertising, saying that the adverts were automated, generated by an algorithm linked to the Boots website that promoted products on offer.
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