The Guardian reports
Former footballers Matt Le Tissier and John Hartson broke UK advertising rules by posting promotional tweets about a cannabidiol (CBD) product without telling consumers they were being paid by its retailer, the industry watchdog has said.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigated complaints about a number of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, promoting Supreme CBD, a company set up by former boxer Anthony Fowler.
In two tweets Hartson, a former “brand ambassador” for Supreme CBD, told his 400,000 followers that the product was “magic” and “believe me they help you sleep so much better with less anxiety”.
A tweet with an embedded video by Le Tissier, a current brand ambassador, told his 650,000 followers that he had been sceptical of the company but that “it’s honestly a game changer for people with anxiety/depression any aches/pain or insomnia”.
CBD products have exploded in popularity in the UK in recent years, from packs of “gummies” to fizzy drinks.
The posts by both Hartson and Le Tissier offered discount codes for consumers who wanted to purchase CBD products, but did not clarify their relationship with Supreme CBD or make clear that the tweets were advertisements.
The ASA investigated the posts for not making clear their commercial nature as well as for making the claim that the product could “prevent, treat or cure disease”, which is against the UK marketing code.
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