Oatly’s TV ad under scanner over environmental claims

Plant-based milk brand Oatly has been told by Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to not to repeat some of its adverts, after viewers’ complaints over unsubstantiated environmental claims.

The Oatly television advertisements which attracted viewer complaints featured a man sneaking into his home and putting a bottle of traditional milk in the fridge. He was interrupted by his son who questioned his choice of milk.

Text on screen stated that “Oatly generates 73 per cent less CO2 vs milk, calculated from grower to grocer”.

The ads, which used the slogan “Need help talking to dad about milk?”, made unsubstantiated environmental claims, the ASA found.

First published in January 2021, the ads compared the carbon footprint of Oatly’s milk with dairy milk. They also compared vegan to omnivorous diets in general.

But, following 109 separate complaints, the firm failed to provide the evidence to back up many of its claims, the ASA found.

“It’s clear that we could have been more specific in the way we described some of the scientific data,” Oatly spokesman Tim Knight said.

“We’re a science-based company and take pride in being precise, but we could have been clearer.”

Oatly is the latest big brand to be called out by the ASA after a pledge the watchdog made last September to crackdown on unsubstantiated or misleading green claims being made by firms.

Last week, it ruled against a Lipton tea ad which claimed its plastic bottles were “100 per cent recycled plastic” while the small print explained that it did not include the lid or label.

Oatly was founded in the 1990s, and has grown rapidly on the back of the expanding market for dairy alternatives. The Swedish brand is now sold in 20 countries. Last year it attracted investment from Oprah Winfrey, Jay-Z and private equity group Blackstone, before floating on the US stock market.