Advertising, labelling and pricing
Advertising and marketing is a key part of business strategy, and getting it wrong can result in reputational damage, loss of customers, and fines. This section will help you to stay within the law when advertising and marketing. It guides you on what to include in an advert and how to avoid being misleading or offensive, how to use different types of marketing correctly, and how to price and label your products correctly.
What to include in an advert
- 1.What are the main advertising rules I should be aware of in the UK?
- 2.How can I ensure my advertising is socially responsible?
- 3.Are there specific advertising rules that apply to medicines?
- 4.Are there specific advertising rules that apply to weight control and slimming products?
- 5.Are there specific advertising rules that apply to food and food supplements?
- 6.Are there specific advertising rules that apply to financial products and services?
- 7.Are there specific advertising rules that apply to gambling and alcohol?
- 8.Are there specific advertising rules that apply to tobacco and e-cigarettes?
- 9.Are there specific advertising rules that apply to motoring?
- 10.Are there specific advertising rules that apply to environmental claims?
- 11.Where can I advertise my product or service?
- 12.How do I make sure my advert is not misleading?
- 13.Can I openly compare my product or service with my competitors in an advertisement?
- 14.How do I make sure my advert is not harmful or offensive?
- 15.What do I need to be aware of when creating an advert featuring or directed towards children?
Marketing methods
- 16.Can I advertise on my own website?
- 17.Can I advertise online with social media sites?
- 18.Can I send marketing emails or texts to potential customers?
- 19.Can I cold-call potential customers?
- 20.Can I market on the television and radio?
- 21.Can I advertise in newspapers and magazines?
- 22.Can I advertise using billboards and posters?
- 23.Can I send flyers, leaflets and catalogues directly to the homes and business addresses of potential customers?
- 24.Can I hand out free samples to members of the public?
- 25.Can I give free products or services to celebrities for endorsement?
- 26.Can I use celebrities or influencers to advertise my products?
- 27.What happens if the celebrity or influencer advertising my product does not make it clear they are getting a benefit?
- 28.Can I set up a promotional competition or prize draw?
- 29.How do I make sure my promotional competition is not an illegal lottery?
- 30.How much time should I allow for my promotional competition?
- 31.What rules do I have to set for my promotional competition?
- 32.How do I make sure I do not use misleading advertising about my promotional competition?
- 33.How should I choose the winner of my promotional competition?
- 34.How do I inform the winner of my promotional competition and present the prize?
- 35.What are my data protection obligations when setting up a promotional prize draw?
- 36.Who will own the intellectual property of entries to my competition?
- 37.What do I need to include in the terms and conditions for my competition prize draw?
- 38.What happens if a member of the public complains about one of my adverts?
Descriptions, pricing and labelling
- 39.What do I need to tell my customers before selling my products or services?
- 40.What am I allowed to say when describing my products or services?
- 41.How do I set the price for my goods or services?
- 42.Can I automatically add insurance cover or aftercare to a sale?
- 43.How do I display or indicate the price of goods or services I am selling?
- 44.Do I need to provide customers with information about service charges, tips or gratuities?
- 45.What do I display if I cannot give a precise price?
- 46.What do I display if I am selling goods in bulk?
- 47.Do I have to set out delivery charges?
- 48.If I have marked something with the wrong price am I obliged to sell at that price?
- 49.Are there any goods which can only be sold in particular quantities?
- 50.When do I have to give information about a product’s weight or measurements?
- 51.How do I weigh and measure products and what must I say about the weight and measurements?
- 52.Are there labelling requirements for my product other than quantity and price information?
Cookie policy
This template cookie policy will allow you to set out how you use cookies on your app or website. It may also be referred to as a cookie notice. This template will help you to comply with your data protection and privacy obligations when you are using cookies on your website. It enables you to set out key information about what cookies you set and how users can change their preferences. Because no two websites are the same, you can customise this cookie policy for your purposes whether you sell goods or services online, or if your website simply promotes your business. You can also purchase this policy as part of the Starting an online business toolkit or the Data protection policy toolkit . For a blog summarising your legal obligations around cookies, see Cookie policy template - create and download your own .
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