Watchdog bans face mask ads over coronavirus ‘scaremongering’
The advertising watchdog has launched a crackdown against two face mask manufacturers for using “scaremongering” to promote their products amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Novads OU advertised its Oxybreath Pro mask on the Scottish Sun website, while Easy Shopping 4 Home used Amazon to promote its disposable face mask.
The Oxybreath advert, which was littered with grammatical errors, stated: “It would be an understatement to say there is a growing sense of panic. The best advice I’ve heard is to stay calm and take practical measures to protect yourself.”
It urged customers to “act quick” to purchase the product “before it’s sold out”.
The Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) branded the adverts “misleading, irresponsible and likely to cause fear without justifiable reason”.
The watchdog noted that Public Health England did not recommend the use of face masks as a means of protection from coronavirus as there was “very little evidence” of widespread benefit.
It also slammed the “alarmist” language used in Novads OU’s ads, which referred to the spread of the virus as being “barely controllable”.
This was compounded by references to high demand for the masks and the likelihood of stock selling out quickly, the ASA said.
The watchdog ruled the adverts should not appear again and told the companies to ensure future ads did not cause fear without justifiable reason.
Neither Novads OU nor Easy Shopping 4 Home responded to the watchdog.