Advertisements for chef Gordon Ramsay’s gin have been banned for promoting the nutritional value of the spirit’s honey ingredient.
Instagram and Facebook posts for Ramsay’s Gin, seen in March, said that the honey berries that made up its “botanical foundations” were grown in fields a few miles from the Eden Mill distillery near St Andrews in Scotland.
The ads say: “Here, the farmer follows a natural growing philosophy, which means the Honeyberries retain the rich flavors and micronutrients that come from Scotland’s wonderful terroir.
“With more antioxidants than blueberries, more potassium than bananas, more vitamin C than oranges, and a taste like a mix of blueberries, plums, and grapes, these might just be the world’s tastiest honeyberries.”
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) questioned whether claims about honey berries were permissible for alcoholic beverages. Eden Mill Distillery, trading as Ramsay’s Gin, said the ads were posted only once, removed and would not be used again in any form or channel.
The company said it had not previously distilled with honey berries and, excited by the opportunity to work with Ramsay, had refused to perform its usual due diligence. She said the company’s owners, marketing team and head distiller had been made aware of the complaint and assured it would not happen again.
The ASA noted that the only permitted nutrition claims that could be made in relation to alcohol were “low alcohol”, “reduced alcohol” and “reduced energy”.
The ASA said: “While we welcomed the action taken by Ramsay’s Gin to withdraw advertisements because the claims ‘retain… micronutrients’ and ‘more antioxidants than blueberries, more potassium than bananas, more vitamin C than oranges’ were nutrition claims that were not permitted for alcoholic beverages, we concluded that the advertisements violated the Code.”
The regulator ruled that the ads must not appear again in the form complained of, adding: “We have told Eden Mill Distillery doing business as Ramsay’s Gin not to make impermissible nutritional claims on alcoholic beverages.”
An Eden Mill spokesperson said: “We have apologized to the ASA and take full responsibility. The content was posted on our Instagram and Facebook and the ASA removed it immediately.”
Honey berries are the fruit of the honeysuckle Lonicera caerulea, also known as blue honeysuckle or edible honeysuckle. The RHS describes the fruit as very similar in flavor and resemblance to blueberries, and recommends that they can be eaten raw or used in jams and jellies. Like blueberries, they are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C.
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