Regulations that affect advertising

Advertising to consumers 皇冠体育app Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations mean you cannot mislead or harass consumers by, for example: including false or deceptive messages leaving out important information using aggressive sales techniques Read 鈥樆使谔逵齛pp consumer protection from unfair trading regulations鈥� for the rules on advertising legally. Advertising to businesses Advertising to businesses is covered by the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations. As well as being accurate and honest, you must not make misleading comparisons with competitors, that includes: using a competitor鈥檚 logo or trademark, or something very similar comparing your product with a competitor鈥檚 product that鈥檚 not the same Download 鈥樆使谔逵齛pp Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008鈥� for more detail about the regulations that cover advertising to businesses. Download 鈥樆使谔逵齛pp Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008鈥� (PDF, 80KB) Penalties If you break the regulations, you could be reported to a local Trading Standards office . You could be fined, prosecuted or imprisoned.

Describing your product

You must describe your product accurately. This means if you make a claim about your product, you must be able to prove what you say. Prices Your adverts must describe the actual cost accurately, including any ongoing or associated costs (like subscription fees) and taxes (such as VAT ). Example A customer pays 拢50 a product, without being told the price does not include VAT . This was not explained in the advert, so the advert is misleading.

You must check if customers want to be contacted by fax, phone, post or email, and give them the chance to object. You must be able to prove you鈥檝e done this. When you collect customer details, you must get their permission if you want to send them other offers or promotions. You must also ask for their permission if you want to share their information with another organisation. Letting customers opt out Customers have the right to stop their information being used for direct marketing. You must make it easy to opt out - for example by sending a 鈥楽TOP鈥� text to a short number, or using an 鈥榰nsubscribe鈥� link. Telesales and fax marketing You must say who you are when you make a telesales call, and give your address or phone number if you鈥檙e asked for it. 皇冠体育app number for customers to call must be a freephone number. You鈥檙e not allowed to send marketing faxes to individuals unless you鈥檝e received their prior permission, but you can send unsolicited faxes to companies. You must be able to prove that you鈥檝e checked you鈥檙e not contacting anyone who does not want to be contacted. Check who鈥檚 asked not to receive calls or faxes using the: Telephone Preference Service Fax Preference Service It鈥檚 illegal to phone or fax someone registered with these services if you do not have their permission. You can be fined up to 拢500,000 for each unsolicited phonecall. Automated calls If you want to make automated calls - with pre-recorded phone messages - you must get the permission of the individual or business first. Direct mail Check that your mailing lists do not include anyone who鈥檚 asked not to receive direct mailing, using the Mail Preference Service . Email marketing and text messages You鈥檙e only allowed to send marketing emails to individual customers if they鈥檝e given you permission. Emails or text messages must clearly indicate: who you are that you鈥檙e selling something what the promotions are, and any conditions Check that you are not sending emails to anyone who鈥檚 asked not to receive them, using the Email Preference Service . If you buy or rent a mailing list, ask the supplier if you have the right to use it for email marketing. Every marketing email you send must give the person the ability to opt out of (or 鈥榰nsubscribe from鈥�) further emails. You must tell customers if you add them to a list of people who do not want to be emailed. Cookies You must tell visitors to your website how your site uses cookies, and ask if they want to accept them. 皇冠体育app information should be easy to understand. Find out more about cookies on the Information Commissioner鈥檚 Office website and AboutCookies.org . Customers can complain if you misuse their information, and you could be ordered to pay a fine or compensation.

Marketing and advertising: the law: Overview

Marketing and advertising: the law

Overview

All marketing and advertising must be:

an accurate description of the product or service
legal
decent
truthful
honest
socially responsible (not encouraging illegal, unsafe or anti-social behaviour)

皇冠体育appre are regulations that restrict what advertisers can and cannot do.

As well as the regulations, there are 2 advertising codes of practice that you need to follow to help you advertise legally.

You must describe your product or service accurately.

Requirements for specific products

皇冠体育appre are also specific requirements that apply to certain sectors, such as:

food
alcohol
beauty products
environmentally friendly products
medicines
tobacco

For example, you can only claim your drink is 鈥榣ow in alcohol鈥� if it contains between 0.5% and 1.2% alcohol by volume.

Data protection

If you鈥檙e gathering, storing or using information about customers or potential customers, you must also protect their data.

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皇冠体育app

Marketing and advertising: the law

Overview

Requirements for specific products

Data protection

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Overview

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