An Instagram post by influencer Kayleigh Johnson, promoting a specific infant formula, has been banned for violating the United Kingdom’s stringent advertising guidelines.
The post in question, which appeared on Kayleigh Johnson’s Instagram story, included an affiliate link to a product page for infant formula on a major supermarket’s website. Accompanying the post was a prompt asking, ‘Are you going to breastfeed? If not what formula will you use?’ along with a personal account of the influencer’s own breastfeeding journey.
The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) strictly prohibits the marketing of infant formula under the Advertising Code, emphasising the need to protect consumers from direct and indirect promotional content. Despite this clear mandate, the advertisement did not adequately disclose its commercial nature, leading to a lack of transparency for consumers. The ASA has mandated that this advertisement not recur and has cautioned both the influencer and the involved retailer to clearly mark future advertising content.
The prohibition of infant formula marketing in the UK extends to all forms, including television campaigns and various promotional strategies. However, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has highlighted that these restrictions might contribute to the current unprecedentedly high prices of infant formula. Calls for revisiting this legislation include arguments for permitting price promotions, such as using loyalty points or store gift cards, a stance supported in the past by retailers like Iceland.
The case underlines the ongoing tension between regulatory bodies aiming to safeguard public interests and the commercial strategies employed by retailers and influencers in the digital age, where content accessibility can blur the lines of advertising.
This incident illustrates the complexities of advertising regulations amidst evolving market dynamics and the implicit responsibility of influencers to adhere to existing guidelines.
