The UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an advert for Huel meal replacement shakes. The ad featured Huel brand ambassador Spencer Matthews sharing an anecdote about a person who only eats Huel and won a 260km race. The ASA ruled that viewers could assume from the ad that replacing all conventional food with Huel was nutritionally appropriate and compatible with elite physical performance.
The video, which appeared as a sponsored Instagram post and a YouTube pre-roll ad, featured Matthews speaking with Huel founder Julian Hearn in a podcast-style format. Hearn said he has Huel products for breakfast and lunch during the workweek but has a traditional meal when he gets home. Matthews shared his experience of meeting a man who only eats Huel and won a 260km race.
The ASA received four complaints about the advert, challenging whether the content was irresponsible. Two complainants also challenged whether the health claims in the ad breached the ASA's advertising code. The ASA acknowledged that the ad did not explicitly recommend replacing all conventional foods with Huel but ruled that consumers could interpret the anecdote as an acceptable dietary practice.
Huel, based in Hertfordshire, was founded by Julian Hearn in 2015 and is currently being acquired by the French conglomerate Danone. The market for complete nutrition products, aimed at time-poor, health-conscious consumers, is thought to be worth $5.9bn. Huel said the advert positioned Huel as part of a balanced diet for occasions when preparing whole food was not practicable.
The ASA upheld the complaint regarding health claims, ruling that Matthews' anecdote implied a beneficial relationship between consuming Huel and sustaining exceptionally high levels of physical and endurance performance. Huel had argued that the anecdote was recounted as a remarkable and unexpected occurrence, not as a representative outcome or recommendation.
This is not the first time Huel has faced issues with the ASA over the use of its products as a replacement for conventional food. Some experts have questioned the effectiveness of replacing meals with nutritionally rich drinks. Huel has complied with the ASA ruling, stating that it does not position Huel as a complete diet replacement or claim that it improves athletic performance.
The ban on the Huel ad highlights the scrutiny that advertisers face when making claims about their products' health benefits. The ASA's ruling emphasizes the importance of ensuring that advertisements do not mislead consumers about the nutritional value of food products.
Key points
- The UK's Advertising Standards Authority banned the Huel ad for suggesting meal replacement shakes can replace all meals.
- The ad featured Huel brand ambassador Spencer Matthews sharing an anecdote about a person who only eats Huel and won a 260km race.
- Huel has complied with the ASA ruling, stating that it does not position Huel as a complete diet replacement or claim that it improves athletic performance.
