Beer The Beautiful Truth campaign is not misleading

BEER THE BEAUTIFUL TRUTH 2018

Media release

Advertising Standards Authority finds Beer The Beautiful Truth campaign is not misleading

24 April 2018: The Brewers Association of New Zealand welcomes today’s decision by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that its ‘Beer The Beautiful Truth’ campaign, which highlights the addition of nutrition information panels to product packaging and labelling, is not misleading.

In its decision, the ASA said, “The references to “nutrition”, “99% sugar-free” and the carbohydrates in the context of information about the content of beer and alongside other nutritional facts, including the calories on the website, did not create a misleading impression.” Complainants had claimed that the campaign created the impression that beer was “healthy and nutritious”, an assertion which was not upheld by the Authority.

The ASA partially upheld one element of the complaint, ruling that rower Eric Murray was a ‘hero of the young’ with special appeal to minors.

Dylan Firth, Executive Director, Brewers Association of New Zealand says, “The decision to include Eric Murray in the campaign was based on best available information at the time and undertaken after extensive consideration of our responsibilities under the Code. This took into account the fact that Eric had never been a member of the teams specified in the guidelines to the Code, and had retired from competitive rowing at the time our decision to feature him was made.

“However, we accept the Authority’s ruling on this aspect of the complaint. We have already taken steps to ensure that any campaign material featuring Eric has been removed from unrestricted areas.”

The ‘Beer The Beautiful Truth’ campaign, first launched in February last year, sees members of the Brewers Association of New Zealand, including major breweries Lion and DB, voluntarily adding nutrition information panels to their products.

“We’re pleased that we can continue to provide Kiwis with information about the content of their beer. A majority of New Zealanders weren’t aware of some of the basic facts about beer – including that most beer is 99% sugar-free and preservative-free. The nutrition information panels provide consumers with information on carbohydrates and calories alongside alcohol content,” says Mr Firth.

Colmar Brunton consumer research commissioned on behalf of the Brewers Association of New Zealand found that 75 per cent of New Zealanders thought that nutritional information should be on alcohol bottles.

Mr Firth says, “Beer The Beautiful Truth is simply about providing consumers with the information they want.”

ENDS

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