Advertising watchdog upholds complaint against An Post for 'misleading' digital stamps ad
THE ADVERTISING STANDARDS Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint against An Post for an advertisement deemed to be 'misleading'.
The advertising watchdog published its complaints bulletin in which six complaints out of seven were upheld due to the promotion of misleading content.
The An Post ad in question was disseminated by direct mail and related to a recent campaign by the national postal operator which promoted its new digital stamps as alternatives to traditional physical stamps.
A complainant issued a claim to the ASA of misleading information against the advertised statement: 'Send anytime, to anywhere using An Post Digital Stamps'.
This was considered to be inaccurate as the digital stamps themselves expire six months after purchase, meaning consumers were not assure usage at 'any time' if their six months had passed.
Advertisement
Another statement made in the ad that 'Post now has no limits' was disputed by the complainant, considering the six-month expiry issue places a clear limit on their rollout, as opposed to traditional paper stamps.
The ASA also upheld a complaint made against supermarket chain Aldi on the grounds of misleading information and concern about environmental impacts.
An ad promoting Burn and Glow Lignite Coal, which featured claims like 'they're also virtually smokeless and an environmentally friendly option', was 'unsubstantiated and false', the ASA said.
The claim that the product is 'environmentally friendly' was struck down, with the complainant pointing out the deleterious effect of fossil fuels on the environment by increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere when burned.
Further to this, the complainant cited information from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in expressing concern that fossil fuel burning could be advertised as an efficient way to heat a home when even 'smokeless fuels' are capable of emitting particulate matter which damages human breathing.
Other advertisers identified as having published misleading information include US real estate franchise Keller Williams, air conditioner manufacturer Daikin, BEO Wellness and Skinbae & Beyond Co.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More
Support The Journal
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
22-05-2025
- The Journal
Advertising watchdog upholds complaint against An Post for 'misleading' digital stamps ad
THE ADVERTISING STANDARDS Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint against An Post for an advertisement deemed to be 'misleading'. The advertising watchdog published its complaints bulletin in which six complaints out of seven were upheld due to the promotion of misleading content. The An Post ad in question was disseminated by direct mail and related to a recent campaign by the national postal operator which promoted its new digital stamps as alternatives to traditional physical stamps. A complainant issued a claim to the ASA of misleading information against the advertised statement: 'Send anytime, to anywhere using An Post Digital Stamps'. This was considered to be inaccurate as the digital stamps themselves expire six months after purchase, meaning consumers were not assure usage at 'any time' if their six months had passed. Advertisement Another statement made in the ad that 'Post now has no limits' was disputed by the complainant, considering the six-month expiry issue places a clear limit on their rollout, as opposed to traditional paper stamps. The ASA also upheld a complaint made against supermarket chain Aldi on the grounds of misleading information and concern about environmental impacts. An ad promoting Burn and Glow Lignite Coal, which featured claims like 'they're also virtually smokeless and an environmentally friendly option', was 'unsubstantiated and false', the ASA said. The claim that the product is 'environmentally friendly' was struck down, with the complainant pointing out the deleterious effect of fossil fuels on the environment by increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere when burned. Further to this, the complainant cited information from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in expressing concern that fossil fuel burning could be advertised as an efficient way to heat a home when even 'smokeless fuels' are capable of emitting particulate matter which damages human breathing. Other advertisers identified as having published misleading information include US real estate franchise Keller Williams, air conditioner manufacturer Daikin, BEO Wellness and Skinbae & Beyond Co. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Irish Sun
21-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Major mobile network ads BANNED for all Brits after ‘misleading' savings claim – exact SIM plans slammed by watchdog
VODAFONE has had two website adverts removed by the UK's advertising watchdog for making "misleading" claims about savings. Customers were led to believe two SIM card packages advertised during November and December last year could save them as much as £312 annually. 1 The watchdog told Vodafone that the ads in their current form must not appear again Credit: PA However, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found they did not return on the savings promised. An advert for Vodafone's Unlimited Plus SIM plan, referred to as example A, stated: "Save £240. Monthly £23. Offer ends 19 December." While a previous version of the ad, example C, said: "Unlimited Plus. Black Friday. Save £312. Monthly £20. Offer ends 02 December." Similarly, an advert for Vodafone's Unlimited Max SIM package, example B, read: "Black Friday: Save £312. Monthly £23. Offer ends 2 December'." READ MORE ON MOBILE NETWORKS However, another version of the advertisement, example D, said: 'Unlimited Max. 6 months half price. Monthly £18. £36pm after 6 months. Offer ends 28 November'. The savings claimed in the example A were based on a prior price of £33 per month, but the immediately preceding price had been their Black Friday deal of £20 from example C. The listings were investigated by the regulator after it received a complaint from rival mobile network provider EE. Following an investigation, the watchdog concluded that the savings of £240 and £312 in both package promotions "were not genuine". Most read in Tech Savings claims in the two packages "had not been made against the immediately preceding prices at which the products were sold at when the ads appeared," the watchdog wrote in its ruling. Inside Vodafone's 'fastest-ever' broadband speed boost ASA also found that the products in both ads "did not return to the prices against which the savings were being claimed once the promotions ended" - which meant they were misleading. The watchdog told Vodafone that the ads in their current form must not appear again. The network provider was also told to "ensure that future savings claims did not mislead and to ensure products returned to the price against which the saving was being claimed, once a promotion ended". Vodafone responded to the ASA's investigation, noting that during the promotional period, the Unlimited Plus was on offer for 33 per cent of the time and the Unlimited Max was on offer for 49 per cent of the time, according to
Irish Times
21-05-2025
- Irish Times
Irish post office network requires annual funding of €15m to avoid ‘rapid closures'
The post office network requires funding of €15 million per year out to 2030 or the Republic faces the prospect of 'rapid, unrestrained closures', which would risk 'irreparable financial, economic and social harm', a report from Grant Thornton has found. The report on the network, which was produced for the Irish Postmasters' Union , established it provides €344-€776 million in annual social and economic value to Irish communities. While An Post, which manages the postal system, is fully self-funded and sustainable, the post office network is mainly composed of independent individual businesses run by contractors under licence from An Post. 'I've entrepreneurial spirit in my veins' – Apprentice star Jordan Dargan Listen | 44:45 The network has 933 branches, of which 888 are run by independent postmasters who operate as small businesses. They employ about 1,409 people. READ MORE However, the report warned the network is now 'at a tipping point' having, since 2020, absorbed a cost-of-living crisis marked by 15 per cent inflation, 30 per cent increases in the minimum wage, and a sharp decline in transaction-based income. The State provided investment to the network during the Covid-19 crisis via a number of financial support mechanisms, including direct funding of €10 million per annum, but this is due to expire at the end of the year. The report said even a continuation of the €10 million funding is 'no longer sufficient to secure the network'. The €15 million investment is 'not about expansion', but 'safeguarding what already exists'. 'Without this commitment, Ireland faces the prospect of rapid, unrestrained closures, cutting communities off from vital services, and undermining national goals for regional equity, social cohesion, and financial access,' it said. Grant Thornton found there has been a decline of 15 million An Post transactions between 2019 and 2023, which has 'led directly' to falling postmasters' gross revenue from €61.6 million to €58 million. Efforts to improve the financial sustainability of the network, including a reduction in the number of post offices from 952 in 2019 to 902 in 2023, has 'not been sufficient' to stabilise postmasters' gross revenue without additional funding support, it added. A previous market analysis by Grant Thornton in 2020 highlighted that approximately one-third of post offices were facing significant financial challenges and were at risk of closure without further investment. 'The challenges since 2020 of lower contractual transaction activity levels, falling revenue before costs and taxes, and increased rent, rates, electricity and labour costs indicate that this previous estimate may now be conservative in 2025,' the report said. In response to questions about the report, An Post said it supports the call for the Government to extend and increase direct funding for postmasters to €15 million per year and 'put that on a permanent footing'. 'An Post has invested heavily in the post office network and worked hard to broaden the range of services available through post offices,' a spokeswoman said. 'But to protect the current post office network size and decelerate the closure of post offices, extending Government funding beyond December 2025 is fundamental.' The Department of Communications said the Government 'will continue to provide' the network with funding to 'ensure sustainability' and that its officials are 'working to deliver on this'.
