There are strict rules in place for all food and beverages advertising in Australia.
The AANA Food and Beverages Advertising Code covers a range of areas including:
- truthful and honest claims
- not undermining the importance of a healthy lifestyle
- portrayal or promotion of excess consumption
- health and nutrition claims
- claims relating to characteristics of the product
- advertising to children.
This Code does not apply to alcohol advertising.
For more detail and guidance on responsible food and beverage advertising read the AANA Food and Beverages Advertising Code: Practice Note.
Examples of previous decisions
False or misleading claims
Examples of ads found in breach of the Food and Beverages Code:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Making false or misleading claims about food or beverages. | Awake Water – 2021 Yum Restaurants International – 2019 Soul Press – 2019 |
| Although the advertiser’s intention may not be to mislead, advertising which may be misinterpreted by an average member of the target audience. | United Petroleum – 2022 Yum Restaurants International – 2021 |
Examples of ads found not in breach of the Food and Beverages Code:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Using phrases such as ‘Australia’s favourite’ or ‘blended in Australia’ that does not imply the product as a whole comes from Australia. | Primo Foods – 2021 |
| Showing a food product in its best light does not necessarily mean that the ad is misleading or deceptive if purchased products don’t look the same. | McDonald’s Australia Limited – 2022 |
| Plant-based chicken is understood by most members of the community to not be (real) chicken meat. | Deliciou – 2022 |
| Referring to lactose-free milk as ‘natural’. | Lactalis Australia – 2020 |
| Promotions and their terms and conditions that are clearly stated. | Domino’s Pizza – 2021 Grill’d – 2021 |
| Claims shown in ads for food and beverage products that are truthful and honest. | Woolworths Group Limited – 2022 Made Group – 2022 A2 Milk – 2022 Naked Harvest Supplements – 2022 Grill’d – 2021, 2021 |
| Indicating that a certain product is ‘free range’ does not imply that all products from that advertiser are free range. | Coles – 2020 |
Undermining a healthy lifestyle/excess consumption
Examples of ads found in breach of the Food and Beverages Code:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Ads that encourage what would reasonably be considered as excess consumption through the representation of portion sizes disproportionate to the setting. | Heart Attacks Diner – 2022 |
Examples of ads found not in breach of the Food and Beverages Code:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Promotion of an unhealthy product in itself does not undermine the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle. | Primo Foods – 2021 Schnithouse Hilton – 2021 Gelatissimo – 2019 Coca-Cola South Pacific – 2019 Yum Restaurants International – 2019 |
| Using phrases similar to ‘try/ buy them all’ or showing individuals consuming an unhealthy product as an ingredient in an overall healthy meal. | Yum Restaurants International – 2022 Coca-Cola South Pacific – 2021 The Smith’s Snackfood Company – 2020 Yum Restaurants International – 2019 Primo Foods – 2019 McDonald’s Australia – 2019, 2019, 2019, 2019, 2021 |
| Depicting a person with a large amount of food where there is no indication that the person will consume all the food at once. | ALDI Australia – 2020 |
Advertising to children
Examples of ads found in breach of the Food and Beverages Code:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Advertising occasional food and beverage products where the visuals and themes in the ad are of significant appeal to children. | Heart Attacks Diner – 2022 |
| Advertisements which provide occasional food or beverage products to children, or vouchers for such products, as awards or prizes. | The Cheesecake Shop – 2023 |
Examples of ads found not in breach of the Food and Beverages Code: