ASA slams npower’s Juice ads for misleading claims

Energy company npower has been ordered to amend a press ad for its green energy product, Juice, following a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The ASA ruled that the ad – created by Ideas Unlimited – which featured a tree blowing in the wind with the strapline: “Plug your washing machine into this at no extra cost…” made consumers believe that Juice customers receive electricity generated by wind power.

Juice customers do not receive electricity produced by renewable sources. Npower matches the energy used by the Juice customers by buying energy from renewable sources and feeding it into the National Grid network.

Juice was launched last year when the utility company teamed up with the environmental lobby group, Greenpeace to examine environmentally friendly products (MW August 2, 2001).

Transport for London (TfL) has objected to two regional press ads for the London Underground (LU), promoting its public-private partnership (PPP) plans. The ASA ruled that the ad misled the public on six counts and has asked the LU to consult the Committee of Advertising Practice Copy Advice team before advertising again.

The claims in the ad include: “Day One is in sight for the start of the world’s biggest underground investment programme” and “We’ll spend £16bn to fix the Tube over the next 15 years.”

TfL commissioner Bob Kiley says: “It is very regrettable that LU chose to obscure the facts about the Tube PPP with over-optimistic spin.”