Advertising Watchdog Prohibits Misleading Menopause Supplement Claims
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has taken decisive action against five separate advertisements for food supplements that made unsubstantiated claims about treating symptoms associated with the menopause and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). This regulatory intervention follows a comprehensive AI-powered review of online health claims conducted by the advertising watchdog, which identified persistent issues with misleading marketing practices targeting vulnerable consumers.
Targeted Brands and Prohibited Claims
Specifically, the ASA has banned advertisements for four distinct supplement brands: 222 Balance Me, Lunera, Minerva, and Nova Menopause Vitality. These advertisements all contained assertions that their products could prevent, treat, or cure various symptoms of the menopause. In a parallel ruling, an advertisement and website for the brand PolyBiotics were also prohibited for implying that their food supplements could prevent, cure, or treat PCOS.
The ASA emphasized that it scrutinizes with particular vigilance any advertising that might exploit individuals' health anxieties, emotional distress, or financial pressures. The authority stated that "many" of the claims presented in these advertisements were "unacceptable," not only violating multiple advertising regulations but also posing a significant risk of misleading vulnerable individuals and potentially diverting them from seeking appropriate medical advice.
Company Responses and Regulatory Compliance
The companies involved responded to the ASA's investigations with varying degrees of acknowledgment and corrective action. 222 Collective, representing the 222 Balance Me brand, described itself as a new, founder-run small business that was still familiarizing itself with advertising regulations. The firm conceded that the wording in its advertisements may have "inadvertently implied" the product could treat or relieve symptoms such as PMS, menopause-related issues, anxiety, bloating, heavy bleeding, or mood disorders. They reported ongoing collaboration with Trading Standards to ensure future marketing avoids any explicit or implied disease or symptom treatment claims.
Lunera accepted that consumers would interpret its claims as attributing medicinal properties to a food supplement and acknowledged these claims should not have been published. PolyBiotics similarly accepted that its references to PCOS, ovulation, fertility, cycle regulation, insulin resistance, and related symptoms constituted impermissible disease treatment or symptom-management claims for food supplements. Notably, the brands Minerva and Nova did not respond to the ASA's enquiries.
Official Statement and Ongoing Monitoring
Catherine Drewett, Investigations Manager at the ASA, issued a firm statement regarding the rulings. "When it comes to women's health, people deserve clear and accurate information," she stated. "Ads making misleading claims about treating symptoms of the menopause, PCOS and other hormonal conditions can cause real harm and today's rulings hold advertisers to account. We'll continue to monitor this sector closely and we encourage anyone with concerns about an ad they've seen to get in touch."
This enforcement action underscores the ASA's commitment to protecting consumers from misleading health claims, especially in sectors targeting specific health concerns where individuals may be particularly susceptible to persuasive marketing. The rulings serve as a stark warning to other advertisers in the wellness and supplement industry about the strict boundaries governing health-related claims for non-medicinal products.
