A complaint was received regarding an advert for Sainsbury’s credit cards that aired on Channel 4 and explained how a couple renovated their house using the credit card.

In the advert, the couple said: “Being our first renovation, we kind of went in head-first really. I just started knocking things down, didn't I? Yeah, you got a bit over-excited. We definitely bit off more than we could chew. Washing up in the bath, we cook on a camp stove and we sleep in a campervan. Getting a credit card, we've been able to pay along our terms and use the flexibility that that gives us. If we can get through that, we can get through anything.”

The complaint challenged whether this ad was irresponsible as it implied that the best way to finance property renovation was by getting a credit card.

Sainsbury’s Bank responded by stating that the ad campaign was intended to feature real customers talking about their experiences using Sainsbury’s Bank products. 

Despite the couple explaining that they had used the credit card to give them additional finance, they did not suggest that it had been used to fund the entire renovation.

Sainsbury’s were confident that the advertisement offered an affordable alternative for customers looking to pay for items over a prolonged period.

The advert was also approved by the ad-clearing service Clearcast, who agreed the advert did not state that the couple had funded all the work on their credit card.

The ASA, however, felt that the advert referred to the renovation and was likely to be understood as a project to improve or expand the couple’s property, rather than carry out essential maintenance, but did accept that the advert did not state the entire renovation was paid for on the card.

The watchdog also felt the language used in the advert implied that the couple had not fully considered or been prepared for the consequences of renovating their home.

The advert concluded with the phrase: “It’s never just money, it’s freedom. Credit cards from Sainsbury’s Bank.’’ 

The ASA considered it reinforced the message created by the advert that the card could be used to fix problems during a non-essential project. 

This, along with the advert’s lack of emphasis on the potential risks of using credit to resolve such problems, led to the ASA concluding the advert trivialised the process of taking out credit and was therefore irresponsible. 

Sainsbury’s Bank was told the advert was not allowed to appear in its current form as it did not present consumer credit products in a socially responsible way.