Anti-meat adverts criticised

The Vegetarian Society is criticised today by the Advertising Standards Authority for an "alarmist and denigratory" campaign against meat.

One advertisement showed the back of a bull and carried the caption "If you eat burgers, here's a couple of half-pounders you might recognise". It suggested that parts of the body, including testicles, feet and the rectum, were frequently found in meat products and that meat had been linked to a range of diseases. The ASA said use of the word "frequently" was not justified.

The second advertisement claimed various drugs, including one linked to cancer, were widely used in rearing. The ASA ruled the advertisers had not shown the drugs were "widely used" or that there was a causal link with cancer.