Watchdog bans pig adverts

The ASA said claims British pigs enjoyed a better life were unsubstantiated

LONDON, England (CNN) -- A series of newspaper adverts for Britain's pig industry has been banned by watchdogs.

The four adverts, part of a campaign by the Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC), included claims that pigs farmed in Britain enjoyed better conditions than abroad.

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) said some of the pictures were "misleading" and that the advertiser had failed to substantiate a number of the claims made.

MLC marketing director Richard Lowe said the commission had appealed against the ban.

"While we are happy to abide by the final decision on this and, of course, we subscribe to self-regulation in the advertising industry, we believe there is a substantial flaw in the ASA's decision and the MLC has appealed against it," he said.

One advert suggested that foreign sows faced being slaughtered and fed to their own young, while another suggested animals reared in other countries lived in conditions which were more cramped than on farms accredited by the Assured British Pigs Scheme.

The remaining two adverts showed pigs enjoying good conditions on British farms while farmers pictured with them were declared to be "best of breed" for the way they kept pigs.

The ASA said on Wednesday it had banned all four adverts after upholding complaints against them.

Lowe said: "We believe that in reaching its decision, the ASA made subjective inferences which are not related to the specific claims made in our advertisements."

Complainants came from the Danish Bacon and Meat Council, Vegetarian International Voice for Animals, Animal Aid and members of the public.

The ASA said claims that foreign sows could be fed to their own young were "not substantiated" even though many were shown to be fed on meat and bonemeal, unlike British pigs fed on a vegetable-based diet.

However, a complaint by the Danish Bacon and Meat Council that British consumers would immediately think of Danish products when reading about the foreign farming standards criticised in the adverts were not upheld.

Meat and Livestock Commission
Advertising Standards Authority

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