ASC Circular 2018-016 – Food/ Dietary Supplement Advertising Guidelines
The Center for Food Regulation and Research (CFRR) has called the attention of the Ad Standards Council on the proper advertising of Food/ Dietary Supplements and as such, the following guidelines are for strict implementation:
- All advertisement, promotion, and/or sponsorship activities or any material used concerning Food/Dietary Supplement are mandated to strictly carry the standard message “MAHALAGANG PAALALA: ANG (NAME OF PRODUCT) AY HINDI GAMOT AT HINDI DAPAT GAMITING PANGGAMOT SA ANUMANG URI NG SAKIT”.
Likewise, all other provisions provided for in Administrative Order 2010-008 should be strictly followed by Food/Dietary Supplement owners, manufacturers, distributors, importers, exporters, advertisers and/or their agents.
- Moving Ads/Videos (Visual Advertisements like TV, Cinema and Digital Video ads)
- All frames must have the standard message at the top portion of the frame and the font size must be at least 1/3 of the size of the biggest font size in the layout; using Arial or Tahoma font, in all caps and in white text over a black background.
- Ensure readability by the naked eye of the standard message which can be rendered in two (2) lines or follow the specifications provided in AO 2010-008.
- Must end with a separate frame containing the standard message following the specifications provided in AO 2010-008.
- The standard message must be audibly voiced over and enunciated, not sped up that it is no longer understandabl
- E-billboards
- All frames must have the standard message at the top portion of the frame and the font size must be at least 1/3 of the size of the biggest font size in the layout; using Arial or Tahoma font, in all caps and in white text over a black background.
- Must end with a separate frame containing the standard message following the specifications provided in AO 2010-008.
- No voice over is required but end frame containing the standard message must be exposed for at least two (2) seconds.
- Radio
- The standard message must be audibly voiced over and enunciated, not sped up that it is no longer understandable.
- Print/ OOH/Collaterals/ Digital Static Posts
- The standard message must be at the top portion of the layout and the font size must be at least 1/3 of the size of the biggest font size in the layout; must be in all caps, using white Arial or Tahoma type, against black background.
- No claim shall be made in the advertisement, promotion, and other marketing materials in the various media for any use of Food/Dietary Supplement which is not contained in the label or approved by the FDA. Nutrition claims should conform to CAC/GL 23-1997 (Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health Claims) and must be duly approved by the FDA. Only the FDA has the sole mandate of approving Food/Dietary Supplements. Claims approved outside FDA are considered misbranded and will be subject for appropriate legal sanctions including revocation of Certificate of Product Registration.
In addition to the above-mentioned guidelines, the following are also recommended to be used in the screening of Food/Dietary Supplements:
List of Generally Unacceptable Advertising Claims and Terms for Food/ Dietary Supplements
- Therapeutic claims
- Claims like “help in sexual invigoration”, or any claim that suggests that the product is a “sexual enhancer”, intimate pictures, and images that show nudity
- Safety-tested
- Clinically-proven and/or clinically-safe
- Claims that the product is holistic or complete
- Claims of effectivity/effective and use of superlative claims
- FDA Approved/Recommended and/or Use of FDA name and logo
- Food/Dietary Supplement should not be described as healthy
- Beauty and Cosmetic purposes, e.g., Whitening, Slimming, Detox, Fit, and Anti-aging
- Claim of Potent/Potency
- Claim of Stem cell
- Claims that “promotes sleep” and with connection to sleep
- “Box” enclosing the product name
- Use of “as prescribed by physicians”
- Claims that the product is “most prescribed by physicians”
- “Under the tongue” or “Sublingual” mode of administration
- “Dose” and/or “Dosage”
- “Active ingredient” or “Excipient and other ingredients”
- Indications or Intended Use, e.g., suitable for all kinds of pain
- Claims about “Muscle building/repairing”
Further to Item #2 which states that “No claim shall be made in the advertisement, promotion, and other marketing materials in the various media for any use of Food/Dietary Supplement which is not contained in the label or approved by FDA”, all applications to the Ad Standards Council must include FDA- approved label, box, and/or packaging.
This takes effect on Monday/ 3 December 2018.
Please be guided accordingly.
