The U.K. Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is investigating British American Tobacco (BAT) after leading health groups filed complaints about the company using social media platforms to promote its Vype e-cigarettes, according to a Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids press release.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids health group said that it has documented evidence that BAT has used social media platforms to maximise exposure of e-cigarettes and promote its Vype e-cigarette to children, teenagers and non-nicotine users, according to the press release. Online advertising of e-cigarettes is banned in the UK. Manufacturers are only allowed to provide factual information about their product such as the name, content and price of the product on the company’s own website. Manufacturers are also allowed to provide the same type of information on company social media accounts.
“We challenged BAT about its irresponsible marketing of Vype at the company's 2019 Annual General Meeting last week, but did not get a satisfactory reply. BAT claims to engage in responsible marketing aimed at adult consumers only. But the evidence submitted to the ASA shows that much of their promotion of Vype gives maximum exposure to children and teenagers,” Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (U.K.), which was one of the health groups that filed a complaint, was quoted as saying.
Following a two-year investigation, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said it found that BAT and other tobacco companies use social media marketing practices to advertise cigarettes in more than 40 countries around the world, according to the press release. The group submitted the evidence to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for further investigation.