Lenor advert 'vilifies haulage drivers'
Date: 25 July 2007
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has received a complaint suggesting that an advert for Lenor fabric conditioner vilifies drivers in the haulage industry, RoadTransport.com reports.
The advert in question is for Lenor's concentrated fabric conditioner, which parent company Procter & Gamble (P&G) claims can cut packaging by 70 per cent and thus significantly reduce delivery truck movements.
Beth Burgess, the wife of a haulage firm manager in Derbyshire, has complained to the ASA, saying the advert is trying to influence consumers in a way that will put drivers out of work.
"I do think it is detrimental to the haulage industry. I do think wagon drivers are vilified these days, very much so. Why should they be penalised?" she asked.
The ASA claimed the ad would not be directly detrimental to hauliers, but Burgess dismissed this as "patronising".
P&G claims that 14,000 truck movements could be taken off the road per year if everyone in the country switched to the new concentrated conditioner. However, the Road Transport Association challenged the company to say where it got this statistic from.
Other benefits that P&G claims the product will bring include freeing up shelf space in stores.
User Comments
Its an advert. If the figures are correct then it can only be good for the environment. Truck drivers are vilified and always have been, we learn to live with it. The way I see it truck drivers will always be needed everything we use is delivered on a truck from a packet of sugar in the supermarket the the bricks holding our houses up. Personally I think Beth Burgess compalaint is pathetic.
Posted By: colin on 26/07/2007 09:37:51
I agree Colin.
It is a shame that anyone would take such an offense to an advert!
Posted By: Luke Humble on 01/08/2007 13:21:17
Seriously though its an advert how can anyone find it offensive this is taking PC too far!
Posted By: Kirsty on 25/08/2007 22:33:51