Nestle

Nestle drops ad slogan after criticism it encouraged poor nutritional habits in children

Nestle has said it will no longer use an advertising slogan for its Nesquik brand and will concentrate efforts on reducing sugar in its products after the ASA decided its statement that Nesquik Hot Chocolate is a ‘great start to the day’ encouraged poor nutritional habits in children.

By Sarah Vizard on 23 Dec 2015

The ad in question appeared on Asda’s own brand milk labels and showed the price of the Nesquik product at the supermarket chain as well as an image of the Nesquik bunny stirring a cup of hot chocolate.

Text included: ‘For a great start to the day!… Nutri-Start Vit D Zinc Iron complementing milk’.

Sustain, which runs the Children’s Food Campaign, challenged whether the ad, in particular the child-friendly equity brand character and the claim ‘for a great start to the day’, encourage poor nutritional habits in children.

In mitigation Nestle said the bunny was not the main focus of the ad and had, in any case, been carefully designed to convey a physically active character that could promote a healthy lifestyle. They also pointed out that the label was targeted at adults shopping for the family, not at children.

On the claim ‘for a great start to the day’, Nestle said it did not encourage excessive consumption and that if an individual’s sugar intake was moderated, Nesquik could provide an important source of calcium and other nutrients. They also highlighted that EU Pledge (a voluntary industry initiative) had identified Nesquik as a ‘better for you option’.

Nevertheless, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the slogan suggested the product had a general benefit to health and that this was only acceptable if accompanied by a specific authorised health claim. It ruled it breached the CAP code on food supplements and associated health or nutritional claims and told Nestle it must not appear again in its current form.

The ASA also told Nestle and...