Tea company told off for misleading health claims

The UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld two complaints against a leading British tea company for making misleading claims about the health benefits of tea.

The Food Commission​, an independent organisation which campaigns for British consumers on food issues, objected to two posters advertising Tetley Tea. The first used a picture of a heart, with the accompanying text, 'Tetley is rich in antioxidants that can help keep your heart healthy.' The Commission complained that this misleadingly implied that drinking tea had proven health benefits.

Another used the phrase, 'Go on, live a lot', which the Commission said implied that drinking tea would prolong life.

There has been a growing body of research which suggests that tea may benefit health, and based on this evidence, Tetley sent 31 studies and an expert opinion to the ASA for adjudication. They also sent editorial comment and literature published by other organisations such as competitors and trade bodies.

According to the ASA​, the advertisers believed this evidence supported the claim made on the posters and argued that by stating merely that tea 'can' help heart health, they were not misleading consumers.

However the Authority noted that some studies found no increased health benefits from tea consumption and that epidemiological evidence was inconsistent. It also understood that several of the studies reporting positive effects from drinking tea emphasised the need for more research before a firm conclusion on the subject could be reached.

"The Authority considered that, although antioxidants might help prevent coronary heart disease, the advertisers' evidence did not address variables, such as the type of antioxidants in Tetley tea and the level of antioxidants absorbed by tea drinkers,"​ said the ASA in its adjudication.

"The Authority considered that readers of the claim 'Tetley is rich in antioxidants that can help keep your heart healthy' would infer that drinking Tetley tea benefited heart health and considered that the advertisers had not proved that it could or would. It concluded that, because the health benefits of drinking Tetley tea had not been proven, the claim was misleading."​

Regarding the second complaint, Tetley argued that 'Go on live a lot', a play on the phrase 'Go on, live a little', implied that tea was refreshing and uplifting, and readers were likely to infer from the claim an emotional, not a physiological, benefit.

However the ASA said that the poster linked the headline with the claim that Tetley could help keep their heart healthy, and readers were likely to interpret this as a way of preventing heart disease and prolonging life. "Because the advertisers had not provided evidence to show that Tetley affected longevity, the Authority considered that the claim was misleading,"​ it said.

"Consumers are interested in the links between diet and health, and food companies are eager to associate their products with healthiness,"​ said Kath Dalmeny, research officer for The Food Commission. "Sales in the hot-drinks sector have been flagging over the past few years. But this is no excuse for companies like Tetley to make exaggerated and misleading claims to boost their sales."​

Tetley's advertisers have been ordered to change the claims with help from the UK's Commission of Advertising Practice, although the ASA said the company has previously ignored CAP advice on a similar heart health claim.

The Food Commission said it remains concerned that packets of Tetley Tea continue to carry claims that may imply that drinking Tetley tea is good for the heart. It is also expecting a ruling from the Independent Television Commission at the end of the month regarding Tetley's television advertising.