{"engine_version":"1.1.0","sectors":["general","health","food","alcohol","gambling","finance","green","kids","motoring","employment"],"channels":["paidsocial","influencer","search","display","email","ooh","web"],"rules":[{"id":"guarantee","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 3.1 / 3.7","title":"Absolute guarantee of an outcome","why":"Absolute claims like \"guaranteed results\" are treated as objective claims needing robust documentary evidence for every customer, which is rarely possible. Guarantees of returns, winnings or weight loss are among the most commonly upheld complaints.","fix":"Remove the guarantee or restrict it to something you control and honour, e.g. \"30-day money-back guarantee\".","sector_required":null},{"id":"hundredpct","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 3.1","title":"\"100%\" absolute claim","why":"\"100%\" claims are objective and must be supported by evidence covering all cases — one counter-example makes the ad misleading.","fix":"Qualify the claim or quantify it from evidence you hold, e.g. \"97% of 1,204 customers in our 2025 survey\".","sector_required":null},{"id":"clinically","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 3.7 / 12.1","title":"\"Clinically/scientifically proven\"","why":"These claims require robust trial evidence relevant to the advertised product and the specific claim made. \"Tested\" alone does not mean \"proven\" — the ASA reads it as consumers would.","fix":"Hold the study before you publish, describe what it actually showed, or remove the claim.","sector_required":null},{"id":"number1","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 3.7 / 3.33","title":"Market leadership / superiority claim","why":"\"UK's favourite\", \"#1\" and \"best-selling\" are objective comparative claims needing market-share or independent survey data covering the whole market.","fix":"Cite the source and period in the ad (\"UK's best-selling X — Kantar, 2025\") or soften to subjective puffery.","sector_required":null},{"id":"free","severity":"low","citation":"CAP 3.23–3.26","title":"Use of \"free\"","why":"\"Free\" items must be genuinely free: consumers must pay no more than the unavoidable cost of responding, and the price of any product they must buy must not be inflated to cover it.","fix":"Check nothing is recovered elsewhere (inflated P&P, bundled price) and state any conditions clearly with the claim.","sector_required":null},{"id":"frompricing","severity":"low","citation":"CAP 3.17","title":"\"From £X\" pricing","why":"\"From\" prices must be genuinely available in reasonable quantity — not a theoretical price almost no one can buy at.","fix":"Make sure a meaningful share of stock or dates is actually available at the quoted price.","sector_required":null},{"id":"wasnow","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 3.17 / pricing guidance","title":"Reference pricing (was/now, RRP)","why":"Savings claims against a \"was\" price or RRP mislead if the reference price isn't the genuine usual selling price for a meaningful period.","fix":"Keep records showing the higher price was genuinely charged recently; avoid RRPs that differ significantly from real selling prices.","sector_required":null},{"id":"urgency","severity":"low","citation":"CAP 3.31","title":"Urgency / scarcity pressure","why":"False urgency — countdowns that reset, \"only 3 left\" that isn't true — is a misleading practice. Genuine deadlines are fine; fabricated ones are upheld.","fix":"Only use urgency you can evidence: a real end date, real stock levels.","sector_required":null},{"id":"pricedrip","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 3.18 / DMCC pricing rules","title":"Fees excluded from headline price","why":"Quoted prices must include non-optional fees and charges. UK drip-pricing rules now require mandatory fees in the headline price.","fix":"Fold unavoidable fees into the displayed price; only genuinely optional extras can be added later.","sector_required":null},{"id":"permanent","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 3.1 / 12.1","title":"\"Permanent\" results claim","why":"Permanence is an absolute efficacy claim requiring long-term evidence that rarely exists.","fix":"Use evidenced durations: \"results lasting up to 6 months in trials\".","sector_required":null},{"id":"testimonialstat","severity":"low","citation":"CAP 3.45–3.47","title":"Survey / testimonial statistic","why":"\"9 out of 10\" style claims need a properly conducted survey, and testimonials must be genuine, current and relate to the advertised product.","fix":"State the sample and source (\"9/10 of 2,000 surveyed, YouGov 2026\") and keep consent records.","sector_required":null},{"id":"cure","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 12.1 / 12.2","title":"Claim to cure or reverse a condition","why":"Claims that a product can cure or treat disease are restricted to licensed medicines, and discouraging essential medical treatment is prohibited. These are near-automatic upheld rulings.","fix":"Remove cure/treatment language entirely unless the product holds the relevant medicines licence for that claim.","sector_required":null},{"id":"disease","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 12.1","title":"Treatment claim for a medical condition","why":"Medicinal claims may only be made for authorised medicines, and references to treating serious conditions require the ad to be targeted at qualified practitioners, not consumers. Cancer treatment claims to the public also engage the Cancer Act 1939.","fix":"Strip condition-treatment claims; for foods/supplements only authorised health claims may be used, in their authorised wording.","sector_required":null},{"id":"weightrate","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 13.9–13.10","title":"Rate-of-weight-loss claim","why":"Claims about the amount or rate of weight loss are prohibited for foods and strictly limited elsewhere; \"lose a stone in two weeks\" is a textbook upheld ruling.","fix":"Remove specific amounts and timeframes; talk about the programme, not promised numbers.","sector_required":null},{"id":"fatburn","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 13 / NHC Regulation","title":"\"Fat burning\" claim","why":"\"Burns fat\" is an unauthorised health claim for foods and supplements and an efficacy claim needing clinical evidence for anything else.","fix":"Only use claims from the authorised GB register of nutrition and health claims, in approved wording.","sector_required":null},{"id":"pom","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 12.12","title":"Prescription-only medicine referenced","why":"Prescription-only medicines must not be advertised to the public — including by name in social posts, price lists or offers. Weight-loss injection ads are a current enforcement priority.","fix":"Advertise the consultation service generically without naming or alluding to the POM; never promote price or availability of the medicine itself.","sector_required":null},{"id":"immunity","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 15 / NHC Regulation","title":"Immunity claim","why":"\"Boosts immunity\" is not an authorised health claim. Only specific authorised nutrient claims (e.g. vitamin C contributing to normal immune function) may be used, in their approved wording and conditions.","fix":"Swap to the authorised wording for a qualifying nutrient your product actually contains in sufficient quantity.","sector_required":null},{"id":"detox","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 12.1 / 15.1","title":"\"Detox\" claim","why":"Detox claims imply a physiological effect that lacks accepted scientific basis; the ASA treats them as misleading efficacy claims.","fix":"Remove \"detox\" or use it only as a clearly figurative brand name without efficacy implications.","sector_required":null},{"id":"antiage","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 12.1 / cosmetic guidance","title":"Anti-ageing efficacy claim","why":"Cosmetics may claim to improve the appearance of skin, but claims to remove wrinkles or reverse ageing are physiological efficacy claims needing strong evidence; post-production retouching of relevant imagery is also restricted.","fix":"Claim appearance benefits (\"reduces the appearance of fine lines\") supported by your evidence, and don't retouch the relevant area in imagery.","sector_required":null},{"id":"beforeafter","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 3.7 / 12 guidance","title":"Before-and-after imagery referenced","why":"Before/after comparisons in health, beauty and weight-loss ads must reflect genuine, typical results and not be enhanced; they're heavily scrutinised.","fix":"Use genuine, consented, unretouched images of typical results, with timeframe disclosed.","sector_required":null},{"id":"cbd","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 12 / novel foods rules","title":"CBD with a health benefit","why":"CBD products must not make medicinal or health claims without authorisation; pairing CBD with pain, anxiety or sleep claims is routinely upheld.","fix":"Sell the product without health claims, or pursue the relevant authorisation first.","sector_required":null},{"id":"alc-social","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 18.3 / 18.5","title":"Alcohol linked to confidence or social success","why":"Alcohol ads must not imply drinking enhances confidence, popularity, attractiveness or social success — one of the most-enforced alcohol rules.","fix":"Sell taste, craft, provenance or occasion — never personal transformation.","sector_required":"alcohol"},{"id":"alc-therapy","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 18.6–18.7","title":"Alcohol as therapy, reward or coping","why":"Ads must not imply alcohol can change mood, relieve stress or boredom, or that it should be a reward or coping mechanism.","fix":"Remove emotional-relief framing; anchor in flavour, food pairing or social occasion (without implying the alcohol makes the occasion).","sector_required":"alcohol"},{"id":"alc-excess","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 18.1","title":"Encouraging excessive or rapid drinking","why":"Ads must not encourage immoderate, irresponsible or rapid drinking; \"bottomless\" mechanics and drinking-game references are routinely upheld.","fix":"Remove volume/speed mechanics; promote the venue or product without unlimited-consumption hooks.","sector_required":"alcohol"},{"id":"gam-riskfree","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 16.3.1 / gambling guidance","title":"\"Risk-free\" or \"free bet\" offer","why":"\"Risk-free\" and \"free bet\" claims mislead if the customer can lose their stake or receives site credit rather than withdrawable cash; significant conditions must be stated upfront.","fix":"Describe the mechanic accurately (\"£20 in site credit if your first bet loses — T&Cs\") with key conditions in the ad itself.","sector_required":"gambling"},{"id":"gam-win","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 16.3.6","title":"Gambling as financial solution / sure win","why":"Gambling ads must not suggest gambling can solve financial problems or portray winning as assured.","fix":"Remove certainty and financial-rescue framing entirely.","sector_required":"gambling"},{"id":"gam-youth","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 16.3.12 / strong-appeal rules","title":"Possible strong appeal to under-18s","why":"Gambling ads must not be likely to appeal strongly to under-18s — video-game language, cartoon styles and top-flight sports stars are all restricted territory.","fix":"Strip youth-culture references, gaming language and personalities with under-18 appeal.","sector_required":"gambling"},{"id":"fin-guaranteed","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 14.4 / FCA COBS 4","title":"Guaranteed investment returns","why":"Financial promotions must be fair, clear and not misleading; guaranteeing returns or describing investments as risk-free is a breach of both the CAP Code and FCA rules.","fix":"State realistic basis for projections and give risk warnings equal prominence to benefit claims.","sector_required":"finance"},{"id":"fin-crypto","severity":"high","citation":"FCA cryptoasset promotion rules","title":"Cryptoasset promotion","why":"Crypto promotions to UK consumers must be communicated or approved by an authorised firm and carry prescribed risk warnings (\"Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest…\"). Non-compliant crypto ads are a criminal offence for the promoter.","fix":"Confirm the promotion route (authorised/approved/exempted), include the prescribed risk warning, and drop incentives like referral bonuses, which are banned.","sector_required":"finance"},{"id":"fin-getrich","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 14.1 / 3.1","title":"Wealth-promise framing","why":"Income and lifestyle promises around investments, trading or business opportunities are treated as objective claims needing evidence of typical results — outliers don't count.","fix":"Show typical, evidenced outcomes with risk caveats, or remove the lifestyle promise.","sector_required":"finance"},{"id":"fin-apr","severity":"low","citation":"CONC 3 / CAP 14","title":"Credit offer — check trigger terms","why":"Credit ads showing certain trigger information must include a representative example (including representative APR) with required prominence.","fix":"If any rate, amount or incentive is shown, include the full representative example per CONC rules.","sector_required":"finance"},{"id":"green-vague","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 11.1–11.3 / CMA Green Claims Code","title":"Unqualified general environmental claim","why":"Vague green claims must be substantiated across the product's full life cycle; unqualified \"eco-friendly\" claims are among the most upheld green rulings, and the CMA can now fine for them directly under the DMCC Act.","fix":"Be specific and evidenced: \"bottle made from 80% recycled plastic\" beats \"eco-friendly\".","sector_required":null},{"id":"green-neutral","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 11 / CMA guidance","title":"Carbon neutrality / net-zero claim","why":"Carbon-neutral and net-zero claims require robust substantiation, including transparency about whether they rely on offsetting; airlines and energy brands have had these upheld repeatedly.","fix":"State the basis (\"via verified offsets\", \"scope 1–2 only, 2025\") or remove the claim until you can.","sector_required":null},{"id":"green-bio","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 11 / CMA guidance","title":"Disposal / material claim","why":"Claims like \"recyclable\" or \"compostable\" mislead if true only in industrial conditions or for part of the product/packaging.","fix":"Qualify the claim: which part, under what conditions, and how commonly available those conditions are.","sector_required":null},{"id":"disc-partner","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 2.1 / 2.3","title":"Commercial relationship without clear ad label","why":"Marketing must be obviously identifiable as such. Where a brand pays or gifts and has control, the content needs a clear, upfront label — \"#ad\" is the accepted standard; \"gifted\" or \"in collaboration\" alone is not enough.","fix":"Put #ad (or \"Ad:\") at the start of the post/caption, visible without expanding.","sector_required":null},{"id":"promo-terms","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 8.17 / 8.28","title":"Promotion — significant conditions required","why":"Prize promotions must state significant conditions (closing date, entry restrictions, how winners are chosen, number of prizes) and free-entry routes where required; missing closing dates are a classic upheld complaint.","fix":"Include closing date, eligibility, selection method and prize details in or one click from the ad.","sector_required":null},{"id":"kids-pester","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 5.4.2","title":"Direct exhortation to children / pester power","why":"Ads must not directly exhort children to buy or to ask others to buy for them — this is also an outright banned practice under consumer law.","fix":"Address purchase messaging to adults only.","sector_required":null},{"id":"vape","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 22 / TRPR","title":"Vaping / nicotine product","why":"Nicotine-containing e-cigarette ads are prohibited in most online media including paid social and display; health claims and youth appeal are banned everywhere, and tobacco advertising is prohibited outright.","fix":"Check the media-placement rules for your channel before spending anything — for most digital channels the answer is no.","sector_required":null},{"id":"mot-speed","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 19.1–19.2","title":"Speed or acceleration as the appeal","why":"Motoring ads must not make speed or acceleration the main message, or condone irresponsible driving. Performance figures presented as a thrill rather than information are routinely upheld.","fix":"Lead on safety, comfort, efficiency or design; if performance figures are relevant, present them factually and secondarily.","sector_required":"motoring"},{"id":"mot-irresponsible","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 19.2–19.4","title":"Irresponsible or competitive driving encouraged","why":"Ads must not encourage motorists to drive irresponsibly, competitively or aggressively, or portray driving that would breach the Highway Code as exciting.","fix":"Remove competitive/aggressive framing; depict driving that is legal and considerate.","sector_required":"motoring"},{"id":"mot-figures","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 3.7 / motoring guidance","title":"Fuel economy / EV range / charging claim","why":"Consumption, range and charging-time claims must be based on official test figures and not imply real-world conditions will match; EV range and rapid-charge claims are frequently challenged.","fix":"Cite the test standard (e.g. WLTP), qualify that real-world results vary with conditions, and ensure the figure matches the exact variant advertised.","sector_required":"motoring"},{"id":"emp-earnings","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 20.2 / 3.7","title":"Earnings claim","why":"Income claims for jobs, side hustles and business opportunities must reflect typical, evidenced earnings — not best-case outliers — and must not overstate likely reward. This is the most-enforced rule in the category.","fix":"Quote verifiable typical earnings (\"our average partner earned £X in 2025\") or remove figures; never present top performers as the norm.","sector_required":"employment"},{"id":"emp-noexp","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 20.2 / 3.1","title":"Ease or guarantee of work overstated","why":"Claims that work is guaranteed or that anyone can succeed misrepresent the opportunity; guarantees of employment or placement need to be literally true and unconditional.","fix":"Describe genuine requirements honestly; remove guarantees you cannot honour for every applicant.","sector_required":"employment"},{"id":"emp-fees","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 20.5–20.6","title":"Upfront cost for a work opportunity","why":"Business opportunities and homework schemes must state clearly and upfront any money the respondent must pay; burying joining costs is a breach in itself.","fix":"State the full upfront cost in the ad, prominently, before any earnings message.","sector_required":"employment"},{"id":"emp-mlm","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 20.2 / consumer protection law","title":"Multi-level / recruitment-based earnings","why":"Earnings representations tied to recruiting others attract scrutiny under both the ad rules and trading schemes law; typicality and the cost side must be transparent.","fix":"If earnings depend on recruitment, say so explicitly, show typical (not top-tier) earnings, and disclose costs.","sector_required":"employment"},{"id":"comp-brands","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 3.33–3.35","title":"Comparison with competitors","why":"Comparisons with identifiable competitors must compare like with like, be verifiable, and not mislead about either product. \"Cheaper than any other brand\" is an objective whole-market claim needing whole-market evidence.","fix":"Name the basis (\"based on a basket of 100 items, May 2026 prices\") and keep the verification publicly accessible, or narrow the claim to what you can prove.","sector_required":null},{"id":"comp-switch","severity":"low","citation":"CAP 3.39 / pricing guidance","title":"Switching-savings claim","why":"\"Save £X by switching\" claims must reflect savings a significant proportion of switchers actually achieve, with the basis clear — a recurring issue in energy and telecoms rulings.","fix":"State the basis and the proportion achieving it, or use the evidenced average saving.","sector_required":null},{"id":"priv-celeb","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 6.1–6.2 / 3.45","title":"Celebrity / royal endorsement implied","why":"Ads must not portray or refer to people, or imply their endorsement, without permission — and references to members of the Royal Family or royal connection are tightly restricted.","fix":"Only reference real people with written permission; remove implied endorsements you cannot evidence.","sector_required":null},{"id":"cosm-timepressure","severity":"high","citation":"CAP 12 / cosmetic interventions guidance","title":"Time-pressured or discounted cosmetic procedure","why":"Cosmetic interventions must be marketed responsibly: time-limited deals, discounts and incentives that pressure quick decisions about procedures are treated as irresponsible.","fix":"Remove urgency and discount mechanics from procedure advertising; promote the consultation, not a countdown.","sector_required":"cosmetic"},{"id":"cosm-youth","severity":"high","citation":"CAP cosmetic interventions guidance / 12","title":"Cosmetic procedure framed for young audiences","why":"Cosmetic interventions must not be directed at under-18s through content, language or media selection; certain procedures cannot lawfully be performed on under-18s at all.","fix":"Strip youth framing entirely and target media at adult audiences.","sector_required":"cosmetic"},{"id":"upto","severity":"low","citation":"CAP 3.11 / qualification guidance","title":"\"Up to\" claim","why":"\"Up to\" figures must be achievable by a significant proportion of customers, and the qualification must be as prominent as the headline figure.","fix":"Check what share of customers genuinely achieve the maximum, and qualify visibly if it isn't most of them.","sector_required":null},{"id":"tel-speed","severity":"med","citation":"CAP broadband speed guidance / 3.1","title":"Broadband / network performance claim","why":"Headline broadband speed claims must be based on average peak-time speeds available to at least half of customers; \"fastest network\" requires robust independent testing; \"unlimited\" must be genuinely unlimited beyond reasonable traffic management.","fix":"Use the average peak-time figure, cite the independent test for superiority claims, and disclose any traffic-management policy with \"unlimited\".","sector_required":"telecom"},{"id":"health-hair","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 12.1 / 12.6","title":"Hair-loss efficacy claim","why":"Hair regrowth and loss-prevention claims are medicinal-grade efficacy claims; the proven treatments are medicines (some prescription-only), and cosmetic products cannot borrow their claims.","fix":"Limit claims to what your evidence shows for your product (e.g. appearance of thicker hair), or remove.","sector_required":null},{"id":"health-docrec","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 3.45–3.47 / 12.18","title":"Health-professional endorsement claim","why":"\"Doctor recommended\" needs robust survey evidence of genuine recommendation, and health professionals must not endorse medicines to the public; the claim implies clinical authority the evidence must match.","fix":"Hold the survey (sample, method, date) and cite it, or remove the professional endorsement.","sector_required":null},{"id":"charity-link","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 8.23","title":"Charity-linked promotion","why":"Charity-linked claims must define the contribution clearly: which charity, how much per purchase, any cap, and the promotion period. Vague \"supports charity\" framing misleads.","fix":"Name the charity, state the exact contribution per purchase and any maximum, in or one click from the ad.","sector_required":null},{"id":"delivery-promise","severity":"low","citation":"CAP 3.28–3.29","title":"Guaranteed delivery promise","why":"Delivery and availability claims must be achievable for the orders the ad will generate; guaranteed timescales that depend on cut-offs or exclusions need those conditions stated.","fix":"State cut-off times, excluded areas/days, and only guarantee what your fulfilment data shows you deliver.","sector_required":null},{"id":"unsafe-dare","severity":"med","citation":"CAP 4.4–4.5","title":"Unsafe behaviour or risky challenge encouraged","why":"Ads must not condone or encourage unsafe practices or behaviour likely to be emulated, particularly by young people; \"challenge\" mechanics around risky activity are a recurring problem in social formats.","fix":"Remove dare/challenge framing around anything that could be unsafe to copy.","sector_required":null}],"disclaimer":"Automated risk screening of wording patterns against publicly available UK advertising rules. Not legal advice; not a compliance determination; absence of flags is not clearance. Clearance is not affiliated with the ASA or CAP."}