Aira and EDF Ads Pulled for Omitting Crucial Grant Details
The UK’s advertising watchdog has banned two more adverts promoting heat pumps, ruling they misled the public by failing to explain the conditions attached to a £7,500 government grant.
Both Aira and EDF Energy have come under fire after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found their campaigns gave the impression that the grant was automatic, without clarifying eligibility requirements.
This action comes just days after a similar advert from Octopus Energy was banned for misleadingly claiming installations could cost as little as £500.
Aira’s Meta advert, which ran in March, boldly declared: “Ditch your gas boiler for an Aira heat pump today … £7,500 grant available.”
The company defended the advert, stating it was specifically targeted at homeowners in England and Scotland, where such grants are indeed available for heat pump installation.
Aira insisted the ad wasn’t intended to suggest the grants were handed out unconditionally. The firm further argued that social media platforms limit the amount of detail that can be included, and that phrases like ‘eligibility criteria apply’ often confuse rather than clarify for consumers.
They added that, in practice, nearly all of their customers qualified for the funding when replacing their gas boilers with a heat pump in their own home. Still, the ASA wasn’t convinced.
The regulator ruled the message gave a false impression, suggesting everyone would automatically receive the £7,500 grant, with no mention of the application or qualification process involved.
EDF’s Google Ad Under Fire
EDF Energy faced similar criticism for its Google ad, published back in February. The ad stated: “Get A £7,500 Grant, EDF Air Source Heat Pumps.”
While the company claimed that clicking the ad took users to one of three webpages containing full eligibility details, the ASA found the headline itself was misleading.
Again, it failed to highlight that the grant wasn’t guaranteed and was subject to meeting certain criteria.
Consumers hoping to cash in on generous heat pump grants are being urged to read the small print, as the ASA cracks down on misleading ads that gloss over key government funding conditions.
In both rulings, the ASA made it clear: crucial information had been omitted.
“We considered that it was material information that should have been included. Because the ad omitted material information, we concluded it was likely to mislead,” the authority stated.
This latest move follows a warning last week to Octopus Energy, which was told to revise its adverts to clearly explain that heat pump installation prices included government support, and that not everyone would qualify.
With net-zero goals and home decarbonisation high on the political agenda, more consumers are exploring low-carbon heating options like air source heat pumps. However, the ASA’s recent actions indicate a growing concern that some energy firms are oversimplifying their sales pitches to attract attention.
As the interest in energy-efficient heating solutions surges, so too does the pressure on advertisers to be clear, honest, and upfront about costs and qualifications.
For homeowners considering the switch, the message is simple: check the eligibility criteria carefully before signing up for any offer, no matter how enticing it may appear.
