Note: This advice is given by the CAP Executive about non-broadcast advertising. It does not constitute legal advice. It does not bind CAP, CAP advisory panels or the Advertising Standards Authority.
Marketing communications should not give a misleading impression about the country of origin of an alcoholic drink. In 1999, the ASA decided that “The beer from Bangalore” was unacceptable because the product was brewed in the UK (Cobra Beer Ltd, April 1999) but in 2000 it considered that “Premium American Lager” did not imply that the product was brewed in the USA (The Whitbread Beer Company, September 2000).
Marketers should be careful when using claims that convey origin or heritage to ensure that they do not mislead about the location of production. In particular, marketers of products now made in the UK but originally produced elsewhere should consider carefully the use of claims such as “original” and “genuine”. The word “original” could imply that the product is made according to the original recipe and with ingredients that are identical to those that were used when it was first produced. “Genuine” could be acceptable if the UK-produced version is as close to the original overseas-produced version as is reasonable to expect. Context will, of course, play a role in deciding whether the claims are acceptable.
Last modified : 22 March 2012