Latest news with #AdvertisingStandardsAgency
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Sanex shower gel TV advert banned for reinforcing racial stereotype
The advert for the Sanex product, which appeared on TV in June, featured two models with dark skin and one model with white skin An advert for Sanex shower gel has been banned for reinforcing a racial stereotype. The advert, which appeared on TV in June, featured two models with dark skin and one model with white skin. One of the models with dark skin had itchy skin, while the other had dry skin. The model with white skin had no skin issues. A voiceover said: "To those who might scratch day and night. To those whose skin will feel dried out even by water." One of the women with dark skin could be seen with red scratch marks, while the other was covered with a cracked clay-like material. As the scene changes to the model with white skin, taking a shower, the voiceover continued: "Try to take a shower with the new Sanex skin therapy and its patented amino acid complex. For 24-hour hydration feel." The tagline for the advert was: "Relief could be as simple as a shower." The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) upheld two complaints about the advert, which it said could "reinforce the negative and offensive racial stereotype that black skin was problematic and that white skin was superior". The ASA said it accepted that this message was not intentional, but added: 'We concluded that the ad included a racial stereotype and was therefore likely to cause serious offence. The ad breached BCAP Code rule 4.2 (Harm and offence).' Colgate-Palmolive, the parent company of Sanex, said it used models with different skin colours as part of its commitment to diversity. Clearcast, which approves or rejects ads for broadcast on television, said the ad did not perpetuate negative racial stereotypes and instead demonstrated the product's inclusivity. The full ruling from the ASA reads: "The BCAP Code required marketers to ensure that ads did not contain anything that was likely to cause serious or widespread offence, with particular care to be taken to avoid causing offence on grounds of various characteristics, including race. "The ad featured two models with black skin and one model with white skin. The ASA accepted that the use of the different skin colours was a means of portraying a 'before and after' of the product's use, which created a juxtaposition of black skin shown as itchy, dry and cracked in the 'before' scenes, and white skin shown as smoother skin in the 'after' scenes. "The ad was therefore structured in such a way that it was the black skin, depicted in association with itchy and dry skin, which was shown to be problematic and uncomfortable, whereas the white skin, depicted as smoother and clean after using the product, was shown successfully changed and resolved. "We considered that could be interpreted as suggesting that white skin was superior to black skin. Although we understood that this message was not the one intended and might appear coincidental or pass unnoticed by some viewers, we considered that the ad was likely to reinforce the negative and offensive racial stereotype that black skin was problematic and that white skin was superior." A spokesperson from Sanex told the BBC: "We take note of the ASA Council's ruling. Our advert was intended to highlight how our Skin Therapy range supports healthy skin across a variety of skin types. "At Sanex, our mission is to champion skin health for all, which is portrayed across our brand communications."
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- Automotive
- South Wales Argus
Police handed stronger powers to stop disruptive E-scooters
In the UK, privately owned e-scooters are not legal for use on public roads, pavements, or cycle lanes. They are only permitted on private land with the landowner's permission. Despite this, many still choose to ride these vehicles in public places, which has led to a petition calling for a ban. The petition reads: "We are calling on the government to urgently legislate for: a ban on e-scooters for under-18s; mandatory e-scooter licencing, insurance, helmets and safety equipment; a ban on carrying passengers; and stricter punishments for those breaching or allowing breaches of laws related to e-scooters." After gaining over 14,000 signatures, the government eventually responded to the proposal. Postcards from India. I started cycling in London this morning, got slightly lost and ended up here in India. It's incredible how much distance you can cover on a Lime bike. — Alastair Hilton (@London_W4) June 25, 2025 Here is their response in full: "E-scooters meet the definition of a 'motor vehicle' under the Road Traffic Act 1988. This means that private e-scooters are already illegal to use on the road for people of all ages. "When selling e-scooters, retailers must make it clear that they can only be used on private land with the landowner's permission. "The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Market Surveillance Unit (DVSA MSU) carries out surveillance of e-scooter retailers to ensure they are being sold lawfully and that the purchaser is made aware that they can only be used on private land with the landowner's permission. "In 2023-24, the DVSA MSU investigated 46 suppliers, and of those, 24 were found to have some elements of non-compliance. "Of those found to have non-compliance, 22 suppliers made corrective action once contacted and the other two suppliers removed non-compliant advertising after referral to the Advertising Standards Agency, the UK's independent regulator of advertising. "The Department for Transport is running national trials of rental e-scooters to assess their benefits and wider impacts, and to inform options for future regulations. These are due to run until May 2028. "Within the trials, e-scooters are limited to 15.5 mph and are permitted in cycle lanes. The vehicles must have a unique identification number on them and any user is required to have a provisional or full driving licence so the minimum rider age is 16. As a condition of running a trial, each e-scooter operator must provide third-party unlimited liability insurance. "Trial e-scooters are required to meet minimum standards on e-scooter design and each e-scooter model used in the trials is assessed for compliance. "A second national evaluation of the e-scooter trials is currently underway, focusing on user and public safety, accessibility impacts and how e-scooters can be safely and effectively integrated into the wider transport network. "The Government recognises however that some e-scooters are not used in accordance with the law and enforcement of illegal or dangerous use lies with the police. "Enforcement of illegal and/or irresponsible e-scooter use is a matter for the police. Users can face fines and fixed penalty notices, criminal prosecution, points on their driving licence and have their e-scooter impounded. "The Government is giving the police stronger powers to stop vehicles being used disruptively, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing illegally owned private e-scooters. This will allow them to deal swiftly with dangerous e-scooters on pavements. "New Respect Orders will give the police and local councils powers to ban persistent offenders from certain areas where they are causing harm, and failure to comply with Respect Orders will be a criminal offence. They will be piloted prior to a national rollout to ensure they are as effective as possible. Recommended reading: "Currently, the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) is covering the personal injury and property damage costs generated by private e-scooter riders at fault for a collision, as part of their 'Uninsured Drivers Agreement'. "The Government is committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility. "As announced in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan as part of the Government's Industrial Strategy, we will create a new vehicle category for a more proportionate and agile process for regulating vehicles like e-scooters. Any new regulations will be consulted on before they come into force."
Scottish Sun
06-07-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Warning to young women after surge in egg donations to fertility clinics despite risk of severe side effects
WOMEN as young as 18 are risking their health by donating their eggs in return for cash, campaigners warn. Surrogacy Concern said the number of 18 to 25-year-olds signing up to donate to private fertility clinics shot up from 190 in 2012 to 509 in 2022. It is illegal in the UK to buy a woman's eggs but clinics can pay up to £985 for expenses. The campaign group said some openly advertise the sum to young women and pay the full amount without asking for receipts. It said donation is generally safe but can be uncomfortable, with possible severe side-effects such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, bowel perforations, abscesses and even sepsis. Surrogacy Concern founder Helen Gibson said teenagers may also underestimate the effects on their mental health. She said: 'We're really worried that women are doing this for money and are not being fully informed of the risks to their health. 'This is a lot of money at any age but especially if you're working-class or a student. 'You could do it three times and make nearly £3,000, and you're allowed to do up to ten cycles. It's insanity. 'We want the minimum age for donation to rise to 25, all payments ended to remove the risk of financial motivation and adverts asking for young women to donate their eggs to be banned.' Donor eggs must be taken from women younger than 35 as that is when they are most fertile. They take hormone drugs to stimulate the ovaries before the eggs are removed with a needle. Health Minister Karin Smyth said the £985 compensation had risen from £750 due to inflation, and clinics' ads are under the jurisdiction of the Advertising Standards Agency. She said: 'We will monitor the issues raised. "Women's health, particularly inequalities, are absolutely central to this Government's priorities.' White couple sue IVF clinic after their baby was born with 'Asian features' that left husband fearing wife had cheated on him
The Independent
26-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Ministers considering alcohol advertising restrictions in line with junk food
Ministers are considering stricter restrictions on alcohol advertising to bring them closer in line with junk food ads. The government said it is exploring 'partial restrictions' which could include a ban on alcohol advertising before the 9pm watershed. The plans could be introduced in the ten-year NHS plan set to be revealed in July. Health secretary Wes Streeting is set to announce radical reforms for the NHS in England after the recent spending review allocated £29 billion to the health service. Under current plans for unhealthy food set to be implemented in January 2026, adverts will be banned if the products are classified as 'less healthy' using a government scoring system based on salt, fat, sugar and protein content. If the alcohol restrictions follow the same guidelines as the unhealthy food ban, it may mean television ads will only be allowed after 9pm. There are already strict restrictions on alcohol advertising in the UK. The Advertising Standards Agency 's guidelines say alcohol ads must not be directed at people under 18 or contain anything likely to appeal to them by reflecting youth culture. There are also controls around the placement of alcohol ads, which are banned from programmes aimed at under-18s or those likely to appeal to that age group. The government has ruled out a Scottish-style minimum unit price for alcohol, which is understood to have been included in previous drafts of the ten-year plan. Under Scottish laws, a minimum unit pricing sets the lowest price an alcoholic drink can be sold for. A 700ml bottle of Whiskey, for example, cannot be sold for less than £18.20 in Scotland. Sky News reported on Wednesday that a leaked section of the ten-year draft set out plans to fully or partially ban alcohol advertising. The Department of Health and Social Care said that the plan would not include a full ban. More than 10,000 people died from alcohol-related deaths in 2023 – the highest on record, according to the Office of National Statistics. Alcohol harm costs the NHS around £27.4 billion a year, research by the Institute of Alcohol Studies found last year. Dr Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK, warned that alcohol remains a 'leading health polluter in the UK', harming millions and cutting lives short. He said the 'status quo' on regulation is failing, with the UK's advertising rules far weaker than in other countries. 'Alcohol is everywhere,' he said, pointing to TV and sports sponsorships, public transport ads and 'incessant' online marketing that is 'almost impossible to turn off'. These adverts, he added, glamorise drinking by tying it to 'relaxing, socialising, celebrating or commiserating', falsely suggesting it is 'essential' to daily life. Dr Piper called it 'totally unacceptable' that so many children are exposed to alcohol ads, especially through sport and digital platforms, and said the public backs stronger protections. 'Our kids should no longer be the 'collateral damage' of alcohol marketing,' he said. He urged the government to use its ten-year health plan and the Health Mission Board on Alcohol to tackle 'out-of-control' industry advertising and reduce harm across society. Jem Roberts of the Institute of Alcohol Studies said the group welcomes the plans to introduce restrictions. 'We know the three most effective ways to reduce alcohol harm are to increase the price of alcohol, tighter licensing restrictions, and bans on marketing,' she said. 'All are backed by decades of international evidence. 'But to significantly reduce alcohol deaths, [advertising restrictions] must be combined with measures like minimum unit pricing and limits on the availability of cheap, high-strength alcohol, which are proven to save lives and reduce health inequalities." A DHSC Spokesperson said: 'The 10 year health plan will not include a ban on alcohol advertising. We are exploring options for partial restrictions to bring it closer in line with advertising of unhealthy food.'
