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NS&I backed over ‘100% safe’ radio ad claim
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) will not take action against National Savings & Investments (NS&I) over one of the Treasury-backed agency’s radio advertisements, following a complaint from a listener.
The complainant challenged whether the claim “And NS&I has always guaranteed 100% security for your savings” was misleading and could be substantiated.
But the ASA did not uphold the complaint.
It was satisfied with NS&I’s explanation that, as the government had historically never defaulted on a loan payment, had always held its triple ‘A’ rating and that it continued to have tax raising powers, it was entitled to make the claim.
The ASA ruling reads: “We investigated the ad under BCAP Code rules 3.1 (Misleading advertising), 3.9 (Substantiation) and 3.10 (Qualification) but did not find it in breach.”
