The Code

Code of Standards for Advertising
and Marketing Communications in Ireland

Advertising Standards Authority Code 7th edition

The Code of Standards for Advertising and Marketing Communications in Ireland (the Code)

The rules and guidelines in the Code set out the standards that advertisers, agencies and media are required to abide by.

The Code applies to all commercial marketing communications in all channels including broadcast, print and digital, and to sales promotions that promote the sales of goods or services.

Where a marketing communication has been found to breach the Code, the advertiser is required to withdraw or amend the communication.

Download the Code

Code Sections

Section 1

Definitions

Section 2

Scope & Application

Section 3

General Rules

Section 4

Misleading Advertising

Section 5

Promotional Marketing Practices

Section 6

Distance Selling

Section 7

Children

Section 8

Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Section 9

Alcoholic Drinks

Section 10

Gambling

Section 11

Health & Beauty

Section 12

Slimming

Section 13

Financial Services & Products

Section 14

Employment & Business Opportunities

Section 15

Environmental Claims

Section 16

Occasional Trading

Section 17

E Cigarettes

Section 18

Online Behavioural Advertising

Appendix I – Complaints Procedure

Appendix II – Copy Advice

Appendix III – Monitoring

Appendix IV – Review System

Guidance Notes

From time to time, we issue additional guidance notes on specific sections of the Code.

These are intended to be read in conjunction with the Code. The purpose of guidance notes is to provide additional explanation on sections of the Code.

Recent Guidance Notes:

Guidance – Non-Alcoholic Product VariantsGuidance – High Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) Food and Non-alcoholic beverages marketing communicationsGuidance – Alcohol 2016Guidance – Influencer Advertising & Marketing 2023Guidance – Mobile phone and broadband 2019Guidance – The Use of ‘limitless’, ‘unlimited’ or similar, in marketing communications