Cosmetics commercials ‘comply with the code’

The vast majority of promotional messages within the cosmetics industry meet the Advertising Standards Authority’s (ASA’s) codes of conduct, the organisation has revealed.

In an analysis of the sector, the ASA asserts that 93 per cent of cosmetics adverts are compliant.

Objections raised typically relate to whether claims in a commercial are based in fact, the watchdog adds.

These include the suggestions that rejuvenation creams can firm skin and help the user look younger, without corroborating evidence being supplied.

Skin creams were found to have the most contentious advertisements with 19 per cent of complaints relating to such commercials.

Of those found to be in breach of the code, two advertisements were online and two on television, with the remaining 28 appearing in print.

In its recent annual report, the ASA identified issues such as race and violence as spurring the greatest number of complaints across all sectors in 2007.