Zoe supplement ad banned over 'misleading' ultra-processed claim

Nutrition brand Zoe has been reprimanded by the advertising watchdog for claiming a supplement did not contain any ultra-processed ingredients, when it did.

The Facebook advert, which featured Steven Bartlett, was for a pill containing chicory insulin, with a testimonial from the Dragons Den star saying: "This is a supplement revolution. No ultra-processed pills, no shakes, just real food." But an unnamed professor in nutrition and food science challenged the claims, saying they were misleading.

They complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which banned the ad in its current form. Zoe offers health testing and diet advice, alongside supplements, and was invested in by Bartlett in 2023.

The ASA ruling said at least two ingredients in the Daily 30+ supplement - chicory root inulin and nutritional yeast flakes - are not whole foods and had been through more than a minimal level of processing, meaning the company's claims about not containing any ultra-processed foods (UPFs) were not true. Zoe disputed that, saying the processes used on the inulin and nutritional yeast flakes could be replicated in a small-scale home kitchen, and so were not typical UPFs.

It also said Daily 30+ was not ultra-processed, unlike other supplements, because it did not contain any artificial flavours or additives, and there was nothing "unhealthy" about either ingredient because they made up only a small percentage of the overall product. But the ASA, while acknowledging there was no universally accepted definition of UPFs, said the term "wholefood supplement" would be interpreted by the consumer to mean the product comprised solely of wholefood ingredients.

"Nutritional yeast was manufactured, and chicory root inulin was extracted using an industrial process. For the latter, the extraction process included slicing and steeping, purification using carbonated water as well as evaporation, partial enzymatic hydrolysis (adding of enzymes) and filtration.

"While some of those processes were relatively simple in isolation, we considered the number of stages used in processing went beyond what consumers would interpret as minimal and we considered they would likely understand chicory root inulin as UPFs." Zoe co-founder Professor Tim Spector hit back at the ruling, saying: "We categorically reject the idea that this advert is misleading, or that Daily30+ - or any of its ingredients - could be classed as ultra-processed. "The ad clearly states that Daily30+ doesn't contain ultra-processed pills or shakes.

That's because it doesn't. It is made entirely from whole food ingredients, and is designed to be added to meals - not taken as a pill or a shake.

The claim is factually accurate and irrefutable." He said the company stood by the pill, adding: "To go after a product that is designed to improve health whilst doing very little about the harmful marketing and advertising of unhealthy junk food to children and vulnerable individuals is nothing short of disgraceful." A spokesperson for Bartlett said: "For the avoidance of any doubt, this ruling is not against Steven Bartlett whatsoever." They said it was for Zoe to debate the merits of the ruling. Read more:Southport survivor's kitchen knife campaignM&S says hacking disruption could last months'I had both legs amputated at 23' It is not the first time Zoe has fallen foul of the ASA.

In August last year, another advert featuring Bartlett was banned after the watchdog ruled they failed to include the fact that he was an investor in the product, and thus ruled the advert was misleading..