UK Ads for Huel and Zoe Banned

The UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned three Facebook adverts featuring Steven Bartlett for the plant-based food brand Huel and the health service Zoe due to misleading practices regarding the disclosure of his commercial relationships with both companies. The ads were found to omit material information about Bartlett's status as a director at Huel and an investor in Zoe, which the ASA ruled was essential for consumers to make informed decisions. Huel's adverts featured Bartlett endorsing its Daily Greens powder, while the Zoe advert included a quote from him promoting its health testing service, both of which were deemed likely to mislead consumers. The ASA stated that consumers would not inherently understand Bartlett's financial ties to the brands from the advertisements alone. Both Huel and Zoe argued that the average consumer would recognize the commercial relationship, but the ASA disagreed. The companies have been instructed that the adverts must not appear again in their current form.