Gordon Ramsay
(Picture: PA)Ads for celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s gin have been banned for making unauthorised nutritional claims about the spirit’s honeyberry ingredient.
Instagram and Facebook posts for Ramsay’s Gin, seen in March, said the honeyberries that made up its “botanical foundations” were grown in fields a few miles away from the Eden Mill distillery near St Andrews.
The ads read: “Here, the farmer follows a philosophy of natural growth meaning the Honeyberries retain the rich flavours and micro-nutrients that come from Scotland’s wonderful terroir.
“With more antioxidants than blueberries, more potassium than bananas, more vitamin C than oranges and a flavour like a mixture of blueberry, plum and grape, these might be the tastiest Honeyberries in the world.”
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned the ads, saying the claims about honeyberries were not permitted for alcoholic drinks.
Eden Mill Distillery, trading as Ramsay’s Gin, said the ads had been posted only once, had been deleted and would not be used again in any form.
The company said it had not previously distilled with honeyberries and it had neglected to conduct its usual due diligence in its excitement to work with Ramsay.
It said the company owners, marketing team and head distiller had all been briefed on the complaint and they provided an assurance that it would not happen again.
The ASA said the only permitted nutrition claims that could be made in relation to alcohol were “low alcohol”, “reduced alcohol” and “reduced energy”.
“While we welcomed the action Ramsay’s Gin had taken to withdraw the ads because the claims ‘retain … micro-nutrients’ and ‘more antioxidants than blueberries, more potassium than bananas, more vitamin C than oranges’ were nutrition claims that were not permitted for alcoholic drinks, we concluded the ads breached the Code,” said the regulator.
The regulator ruled that the ads must not appear again in the form complained of, adding: “We told Eden Mill Distillery trading as Ramsay’s Gin not to make non-permitted nutrition claims about alcoholic drinks.”
Eden Mill said: “We have apologised to the ASA and take full responsibility. The content was posted on our Instagram and Facebook and was immediately removed on raising by the ASA.”
Honeyberries are the fruit of the honeysuckle Lonicera caerulea, also known as blue honeysuckle or edible honeysuckle.
The fruit is very similar in taste and appearance to blueberries and they are also high in antioxidants and vitamin C.
