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ASA bans ‘hangover cure’ TikTok
A TikTok post claiming Hangcure could prevent a hangover after drinking alcohol has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The TikTok video was posted on the ManCave Bartender account on 21 November 2023.
The voice-over said: “Making the… ultimate hangover cure,” while the song Hangover played.
In the video, a bartender can be seen mixing a number of ingredients into a drink, before the text “No no nooo!!!” appears on the screen.
He then pulls out two sachets of Hangcure Rebound. New text then read: “No need for crazy remedies anymore.”
The ad included a TikTok shop link on the video to buy the Hangcure Rebound food supplement.
A complaint was raised against the advertising post, challenging whether the claims in the ad – including its ability to help hangovers – went against the advertising Code.
The complaint was upheld by the ASA, as the Code does not allow claims that state or imply food and drink could prevent, treat or cure human disease.
In a statement, the ASA said: “We considered that the claims ‘just take Hangcure rebound, take two capsules before drinking’ and ‘no need for crazy remedies anymore’, together with the caption, which featured the hashtags ‘#hangcure #hangcurebound #ultimatehangovercure […] #hangover #hangoverremedies’, would be understood by consumers to mean that the product could help to prevent a hangover.”
The ad must not appear again in this form, and Hangcure was told not to make claims regarding how food and drink could prevent, treat or cure hangovers, including in product and brand names.
Hangcure said it was “committed to being compliant with advertising regulation and had taken corrective action”, the ASA noted. The product has also been removed from affiliate marketing on TikTok Shop, as the company was unable to control claims made by affiliates to ensure similar incidents did not occur.
In other ASA news, last year the UK watchdog published an enforcement notice to clamp down on ‘misleading’ whisky cask investment ads.