The UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned two online adverts for heat pumps from Aira and EDF Energy, ruling they omitted key information about eligibility for government grants. The decision follows a similar ban on an Octopus Energy advert last week.
The ASA found that the ads, which appeared on Meta and Google platforms, gave the misleading impression that consumers would automatically qualify for a £7,500 grant under the government's boiler upgrade scheme in England and Wales, or the Home Energy Scotland grant and loan scheme. In reality, eligibility criteria apply, and the ads failed to mention this.
Aira's advert stated: 'Ditch your gas boiler for an Aira heat pump today … £7,500 grant available.' EDF's said: 'Get a £7,500 grant – EDF air source heat pumps.' The ASA concluded that the omission of material information about eligibility made the ads likely to mislead.
Both companies defended their ads. Aira argued it targeted only homeowners in eligible regions and did not believe consumers would interpret the ad as unconditional. EDF said its ad linked to pages with full details. However, the ASA upheld the bans, noting that consumers should not have to click through to understand key conditions.
In response, Aira's UK chief executive Chris Collinson said the company is committed to transparency and has taken immediate steps to address the ruling. EDF accepted the decision, stating it had already updated its marketing and encouraged the ASA to reach out informally in future.
The UK government aims for 600,000 heat pump installations annually by 2028, but the Resolution Foundation thinktank reported fewer than 100,000 were fitted in British homes in 2024.
