'Go to work on an egg' ads banned

The egg industry has been shocked to learn it will not be allowed to show the iconic Go To Work On An Egg ads, which featured Tony Hancock, on TV to mark the 50th anniversary of the British Lion mark.

Eggs are not a food restricted under the new rules on advertising but, despite this, the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre (BACC) has said the ads cannot be repeated because the concept of eating eggs every day goes against the principle of eating a varied diet.

Author Fay Weldon, who headed the team which came up with the famous slogan in 1957, branded the decision “absurd”. The British Egg Information Service (BEIS) has launched a special website www.gotoworkonanegg.co.uk where people can view the banned ads.

Eggs are packed with protein and essential vitamins and minerals and new evidence has shown that eating eggs for breakfast may also help with slimming. There are no restrictions on the number of eggs people can eat. In an attempt to reach a compromise, the BEIS offered to add a line to the ads which would state that eggs should be eaten as part of a varied diet but the BACC rejected this suggestion as being contradictory to the overall message of the ads.

Nutritionist Cath MacDonald said: “Eggs are a great choice for all the family, providing plenty of vitamins and minerals. They are also relatively low in saturated fat and there are only 80Kcals per medium egg, making them ideal for dieters.”