Morrisons Ad Banned for Being 'Too Unhealthy'

Morrisons has had one of its ad campaigns removed from TV after a regulator felt that it promoted an unhealthy lifestyle.

The advert in question shows a mother preparing a burger for her daughter, complete with salad, which the girl then removes from the bun.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said that 11 people complained about the ad, prompting it to take action.

"The ASA considered viewers would interpret the ad to mean that the daughter was so eager to eat the burger on its own in the bun that she immediately removed the salad, choosing the option with less nutritional value," it said in a statement.

"Because we considered the ad placed an emphasis on the burger being the preferable option to the salad, we concluded it condoned poor nutritional habits or an unhealthy lifestyle, especially in children, and that it disparaged good dietary practice."

Morrisons countered this by saying that "the daughter did not look disdainfully at the salad items or make a face that implied she did not like them or would not eat them in the future," adding that "it was perfectly feasible that she would return to it later".

However, the ASA's decision was upheld at the hearing.