Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 July 2018
264. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if legislation is being considered to require online advertising campaigns that employ models to sell body-focused products to specify if models are taking anabolic steroids to obtain an enhanced physique (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28791/18]
View answerAdvertising directed at consumers is subject to statutory regulation under the provisions of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 on misleading commercial practices. These provisions give effect to Directive 2005/29/EC on unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices. As this Directive is a maximum harmonisation measure, it is not open to me to introduce additional national provisions of a consumer protection nature along the lines indicated by the Deputy. Article 3(3) of the Directive provides however that it is without prejudice to Community and national rules relating to the health or safety of products. National legislative provisions of a health nature could accordingly be considered to address the issue raised by the Deputy. Consideration of such provisions is a matter for the Minister for Health.
