Copper Clothing Ltd’s advertisement for a face mask purporting to have medical benefits was misleading (13 October 2021)

An advertisement by Copper Clothing made broad claims in respect of the medical benefits of a face mask containing copper and its ability to protect wearers against coronavirus. In particular, the advertisement, which appeared on the radio, stated that: “Copper Clothing’s copper-infused face mask destroys 99.99% of COVID-19 in a matter of minutes.” A complaint was raised on the basis that the claim made was misleading and could not be substantiated. After seeking guidance from the Health & Safety Executive and ascertaining that the face mask was not authorised or certified PPE, the ASA concluded that the advertisement was in breach of the CAP Code and upheld the complaint.