Two ads, created by Publicis, were the subject of a complaint. One promoted cereal bars with the line "Can't wait? Go ahead. When you need a snack, Go Ahead! is the healthier choice", showing a slim woman in a yoga class.
The second ad made the same claim about Go Ahead cakes, and both ads pointed out the low fat content of the products.
The objection to the ad was that by focusing on the fat content only, the ads misleadingly implied that the cereal bars and cakes were healthy snacks.
McVitie's argued that the Go Ahead! range uses natural ingredients such as fruits, nuts and whole grains, to ensure they were healthier in comparison to standards snacks, which were higher in fat and sugar.
It also said that the target market of women aged 25 to 40 were knowledgeable about their diets, and that the ads target people who had already decided to eat a snack to inform them about their choice.
The Advertising Standards Authority acknowledged that the ads addressed people who had already decided to have a snack, but nonetheless ruled against McVitie's.
It said it considered that the "the healthier choice" text, along with the low-fat claims, implied the products were healthy snacks, but because the bars and cakes contained comparable sugar with other snacks, the advertisers had not proven that they were healthier. It asked the company not to repeat the ads.
Separately, the Soil Association has been told not to repeat claims made in one of its leaflets that organic farming produces healthy food. A public complaint disputed this claim, saying that there was no guarantee, whatever farming method was used, that the food would be healthy.
The ASA upheld the complaint, after examining evidence provided by the Soil Association. The watchdog said that it considered that the evidence did not show organically produced food conveyed noticeable health benefits over and above the same food when conventionally produced. Two other complaints about the leaflet were dismissed.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .