Easter 'Pig Out' choc eggs repeat on The Warehouse

By JULIET ROWAN

Advertising for "Pig Out" Easter eggs sold at The Warehouse has been ruled socially irresponsible.

The Advertising Standards Complaints Board, in a decision released yesterday, upheld a complaint against the retail chain for encouraging consumers to "Take the Pig Out Challenge" in an advertisement for the 1kg chocolate eggs.

The board found that the ad - and another for a 500g chocolate bunny that featured the words "It will keep them busy for hours" - breached advertising guidelines by encouraging excessive consumption of particular foods.

The ads, which showed toddlers with the products, were found to appeal to children and were deemed inappropriate in light of efforts to curb youth obesity.

The Warehouse failed to observe standards of social responsibility expected in advertisements directed at children, the board said.

The Warehouse said it did not encourage parents to let their children eat large quantities of chocolate in one go. The ultimate decision lay with parents.

It had used toddlers in the ads to give customers an idea of the size of the chocolate eggs and bunnies, but would use older children in future.

Green list MP Sue Kedgley, who in April criticised The Warehouse for the advertising, welcomed the ruling.