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A Just Eat Takeaway.com NV advertisement on Meta Platforms Inc’s Facebook featuring McDonald Corp’s burgers has been banned in the UK for failing to take enough care to ensure the promotion was not aimed at children aged under 16. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said that anti-junk food youth campaign group Bite Back 2030 had complained in December last year about the ad, claiming that it promoted products high in fat, salt or sugar to under-16s through the social media platform that it appeared on. The paid-for Facebook ad said: ‘Fancy a McMuffin in the morning? McNugget for lunch? Or a big night in with a Big Mac? Get them delivered right here.’ It also had a changing image of McNuggets that was replaced by the Just Eat and McDonald’s logos. The ASA said that food delivery firm Just Eat understood that the meat versions of the Big Mac and McMuffin were products deemed to be high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) products for which there are strict rules regarding marketing to under 16s. The watchdog said that while Just Eat had used age-based targeting to exclude those who were registered as under-18 on Facebook from seeing the ad, it said the firm had not taken interest-based factors into account. The ASA said: ‘Interest-based targeting factors had not been used to exclude groups of people more likely to be under 16 from the target audience of the ad. ‘The ad was a paid-for ad on Facebook; we understood that interest-based targeting measures were available for such ads, and consequently, we considered that Just Eat should have utilised those tools to minimise the exposure of the ad to under-16s.’ It added: ‘We concluded that Just Eat had not taken sufficient care to ensure that the ad, which promoted several HFSS products, was not directed at individuals aged under 16 years.’ The ad therefore breached its marketing code and has been banned. A Just Eat spokesman said: ‘By filtering targeting to users aged over 18, we believe we took reasonable precautions to avoid protected age groups from seeing the advertisement. ‘Although we are disappointed by this outcome, Just Eat acknowledges the ASA’s concern. ‘We are now reviewing our processes to ensure future promotions reach only the intended audience while continuing to offer great choice and value to customers.’ Just Eat shares closed 1.3% lower at 1,088.00 pence each on Tuesday in London, while McDonald’s shares closed 0.7% lower at $285.63 each in New York. By Holly Williams, PA Business Editor Press Association: Finance source: PA Copyright 2024 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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