Gemma Collins breached advertising rules by promoting controversial £250 weight loss injections

Gemma Collins breached advertising rules by promoting controversial £250 weight loss injections on her Instagram page

Gemma Collins has found herself in trouble with the Advertising Standards Authority after promoting the controversial SkinnyJab injections.

The TOWIE star shared a post on her Instagram page earlier this year hailing the weight loss jabs, but has been criticised for not making clear the post was an ad.

The April post included a mention for the prescription-only SkinnyJab but there was no mention that it was part of sponsored sponsored advertorial post.

In trouble: Gemma Collins has found herself in trouble with the Advertising Standards Authority after promoting the controversial SkinnyJab injections 

SkinnyJab was one of three firms criticised by The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for wrongly promoting prescription-only medicines used to treat diabetic and obese patients.

The company was also criticised for making weight loss claims that were ‘not compatible with good medical and nutritional practice’.

The Instagram posts, which were promoted by a string of models and other celebrities alongside Gemma, claimed the drugs would ‘suppress appetite’ and help users lose up to a stone in two weeks.

Gemma promoted the drug Ozempic for SkinnyJab, which is used to treat people with type 2 diabetes.

In a statement to The Telegraph, a spokesman for SkinnyJab said: ‘We are extremely disappointed the ASA failed to consider extra evidence before reaching its verdict in relation to one of the adverts which we dispute should have been marked as an ad. That said, we regret any lapses.

‘SkinnyJab takes its responsibilities under the advertising code extremely seriously as we help tackle the UK’s obesity crisis.’

Earlier this year Gemma  revealed she had shed three stone after using her time in lockdown to focus on her health and preparing nutritionally balanced meals.

Trim: Gemma first shared she was using the £250 weight loss jabs to curb her appetite in June 2019, sharing a number of posts since

Trim: Gemma first shared she was using the £250 weight loss jabs to curb her appetite in June 2019, sharing a number of posts since

Ad: In September 2019 Gemma shared a post marked #ad to promote SkinnyJab following her summer  of 'indulging'

Ad: In September 2019 Gemma shared a post marked #ad to promote SkinnyJab following her summer  of ‘indulging’ 

Additionally, in September 2019, Gemma admitted that she would be using £250 SkinnyJab injections to kick start her diet. 

In May, she shared with her followers: ‘Have a beautiful day everyone stay POSITIVE and use your time wisely. I’ve been concentrating solely on my health recently and feel so much better because I have had TIME!!!!! Yes TIME !!! to focus on it. No eating out and having to cook from scratch… 

‘I do have Saturdays off to have whatever I want however use the next 3 weeks wisely, keep a positive mindset try and stick to routine in the week I find it helps.’ 

Fan: SkinnyJab was one of three firms criticised by The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for wrongly promoting prescription-only medicines used to treat diabetic and obese patients (Gemma pictured at the official UK SkinnyJab launch in September 2019)

Fan: SkinnyJab was one of three firms criticised by The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for wrongly promoting prescription-only medicines used to treat diabetic and obese patients (Gemma pictured at the official UK SkinnyJab launch in September 2019) 

Gemma said she wanted to lose weight to help her chances of conceiving, explaining in July: ‘I’ve got a fabulous doctor. I can definitely have a child, he just told me it would be easier when I’m not carrying as much weight. 

‘He gave me the confidence not to panic about it. He told me to lose a few stone and it will help me.’

Gemma added that she went to her doctor for medical advice about the weight loss injections to make sure it was safe to use as she’s ‘not stupid’, and said he reassured her of its benefits.  

Following the ASA ruling this week, Jane Smith, CEO of the charity Anorexia & Bulimia Care, told The Telegraph: ‘Inappropriate social media promotion can influence destructive eating disorder behaviours such as extreme food restriction, over-exercising, or the abuse of diet pills or laxatives.’ 

A spokesperson for Gemma has been contacted by MailOnline for comment. 

Health overhaul: Gemma said she wanted to lose weight to help her chances of conceiving, explaining in July: 'my doctor told me it would be easier when I'm not carrying as much weight'

Health overhaul: Gemma said she wanted to lose weight to help her chances of conceiving, explaining in July: ‘my doctor told me it would be easier when I’m not carrying as much weight’

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