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November 23, 2016

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Heinz advert banned over consumer “safety” fears

A Heinz advert that encouraged viewers to “Learn the #CanSong” has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after it deemed that the advert displayed “unsafe practices”.

The advert, which you can watch below, shows people using empty or full tins of beans to tap out the rhythm to a song.

The chair of the Health and Safety Executive has responded to explain that no health and safety legislation would apply in this case.

After the advert was shown in August this year, the ASA received nine complaints from viewers.

Three of these challenged whether the advert encourage unsafe practices, and six challenged whether it featured behaviour that could be dangerous for children to emulate.

Heinz’s response and ASA’s assessment

Challenge one: encouraging unsafe practices

Heinz Foods UK Ltd said that throughout the advert all the surfaces were safe to tap on.

The ASA said that this was not always clear given the speed at which the ‘Can Song’ was played.

Heinz said that hands or fingers were never placed inside the can, and that consumers had created their own videos, uploading them to social media which was evidence that “copying the ad was not prejudicial to their health or safety”.

The ASA said that consumers were unlikely to be as proficient as the actors in the advert and given the manoeuvres required, it might still be possible that mistakes could be made.

For these reasons and because the advert didn’t include information on how to ensure consumer safety when recreating the song, the ASA concluded that the advert condoned and encouraged behaviour that “prejudiced health and safety”.

Challenge two: featuring behaviour that could be dangerous for children to emulate

Heinz said that all cans in the advert had been taped up and that children featured in the advert were always in the presence of an adult.  They didn’t consider the scenes in the advert to be “solely directed at, or appealing to, children because they featured either an adult only or a family setting.”

Advertising agency Clearcast said that the behaviour didn’t look dangerous or harmful, and when the advert was being created they made sure the actions didn’t look dangerous or reckless.

ASA said the advert was likely to appeal to children who would want to recreate the song. It also considered that there was a “health and safety risk” in doing so.

Following its assessment, the ASA said the advert must not be broadcast again in its current form.

The authority told Heinz to ensure that future adverts “do not condone or encourage behaviour that prejudices health and safety”.

A Heinz spokesman said: “We believe this popular ad did not pose any safety risk and many fans were inspired to create their own video versions. Of course safety is our number one priority and our online tutorials also included tapping the can end as an extra precaution. Although we acknowledge the ASA decision the TV campaign is over and we have no plans to run it again.”

HSE – Mythbusting

The HSE chair Martin Temple has responded to the story to explain that there is no health and safety legislation that would apply in this case.

“While the Health and Safety Executive would not wish to publicly contradict this ruling, it does look like the term health and safety has been used incorrectly here. We would hope the public realise there are absolutely no regulations preventing children from playing with empty sealed tin cans.

“One thing kids never lack is imagination to invent their own games with the simplest of props. Obviously if a child is playing with a jagged edge on a tin container there is a risk of injury, but we would hope parents manage that risk. HSE has always encouraged children to learn through play, whether climbing trees, painting with their hands or throwing stones into a lake, we want children to enjoy life and all the experiences it brings.”

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Amanda Fairless
Amanda Fairless
7 years ago

Let’s guess who will get the blame for this Heinz advert being banned- “it’s ‘elf and safety gorn mad, that’s what it is!”

I have to admit I did a date-check, but no, it’s not April 1st…

steve paul
steve paul
7 years ago

As a safety professional with over 20 years service to mankind, this has made me ashamed to declare I work within the field of H&S. We really are going to hell in a hand cart as once espoused by Richard Littlejohn, We really are living under the thumb of the nanny state.

Peter T
Peter T
7 years ago
Reply to  steve paul

It actually wouldn’t surprise me to discover the 9 complaints were renumerated by the editor of Mr Littlejohn’s organ. Just the sort of manufactured “fuss” that rag is renowned for.

Helen Johnson
Helen Johnson
7 years ago

We have a hard enough time getting legitimate messages across without this sort of thing being tagged on to ‘Health and Safety’. Glad to see the HSE sticking up for the profession and dispelling the myth.

Andrew Beales
Andrew Beales
7 years ago
Reply to  Helen Johnson

Absolutely. The ‘Health and Safety’ label loses all credibility when it gets caught up in this kind of nonsense. Health and Safety must retain its credibility in the workplace and beyond. 140 people dying at work (2015/16) and thousands suffering the negative health implications of work e.g. Asbestosis can not be allowed to get mixed up in misguided/misinformed health and safety.

Darren Webb
Darren Webb
7 years ago

Millions of people have seen the advert, yet it get banned because 9!! people complain. Just taking the easy way out rather than addressing the issue with those complaining. No wonder the role of a H & S professional is so hard.

Tamara
Tamara
7 years ago
Reply to  Darren Webb

once again, Darren nails it! Nice to see you here 🙂

Peter T
Peter T
7 years ago
Reply to  Darren Webb

There should be some kind of threshold level of complaint before the ASA is obliged to act. At least into double figures for a commercial with potential to be seen by over 20 million viewers in one go.

Tamara
Tamara
7 years ago

I agree there are so many other H&S issues to focus on…

To be fair, they did have instructions in the front of the ad to help safely create the song can. Look at the video 0:16 it says “Tape it (Just to be safe)”

I have seen been a guest on work-sites that provide less safety instructions then in this commercial.

Colin Huckwell
Colin Huckwell
7 years ago

i cant believe it but some how not too surprised

If people are worried about this – what possible influences can be drawn from the MacDonald advert depicting a happy meal bag as a building site https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mWZUKbAhi8
we see all the unsafe acts on this advert, so i supose all our young lads on site will follow the example of these cartoon characters

Phil
Phil
7 years ago

Ridiculous – the ban should be challenged, social media might be a good place to start

Tony
Tony
7 years ago
Reply to  Phil

Already put it to the FB feedback

peter T
peter T
7 years ago
Reply to  Phil

ASA itself would be a better place to start. Complain about their upholding of the complaints. Also, because they take “the messages” being conveyed by adverts so seriously (particularly wording that can deceive or be misconstrued), it would seem somewhat hypocritical of them to so besmirch our profession in such a manner through the misleading “message” of “health and safety concerns” which further the undermining of our credibility.

Simon Meager
Simon Meager
7 years ago

I think this shows how these bureaucrats that try and dominate our lives really don’t have a clue. And sadder still that people bothered to write in and complain !! We really do live in a world of cotton wool . In this case the cotton wool has replaced the brain cells of the people who have made this sort of decision.

What ever next, do we ban adverts of people driving cars, just in case they might have an accident……

Shame the ASA don’t focus on the real issues…..

jake Edmonds
jake Edmonds
7 years ago

REALLY !!!!!!!

Wayne
Wayne
7 years ago

I think Martin’s response to this is absolutely spot on – the term health and safety has been used incorrectly here. I would certainly hope the public realise there are no regulations preventing children from playing with empty sealed tin cans, and that parent are absolutely the right people to manage any risk in these circumstances. Allowing kids to learn through playing and taking risks (riding bikes for example) will teach them more about risk than many other methods us H&S professionals could dream up.

Martin E
Martin E
7 years ago

As a youngster I remember us using opened tin cans with string attached as form of communication.
No injuries and lots of fun
Someone is getting the wrong message across

Paul I
Paul I
7 years ago

I would rather emulate someone singing a song and tapping an empty can of baked beans than try swinging from scaffolding in certain insurance adverts, or driving around mountain top roads in the wet or snow with wild deer popping up in front of them or dive from cliffs into the icy waters and all because the lady loves a certain brand of chocolates etc etc etc .
Wrong decision… its just an advert …

Karen
Karen
7 years ago

Well said Darren Webb…what a load of nonsense! We are officially a nanny state…….yes, we get cut fingers on cans….it is not the end of the world….stop making it into an issue! Media pressure and the pressure or 9 people complaining! Unbelievable. People will complain about anything! Sad day for H&S.

Kirk M'Carter
Kirk M'Carter
7 years ago

To the nine people that complained, from a Health & Safety professional “Get a life!” It’s hard enough without you getting us bad press again & again. Stop putting the H&S tag where it doesn’t belong!

mike
mike
7 years ago

take those 9 people and line them up against the wall!!!! there are good people out there trying to do good work and these idiots / doo gooders seem to want to upset that apple cart…

Line them up…..