Apprentice star's 'Revival Shots' brand is rapped by advertising watchdog for fake social media claims his vitamin C drinks are being tested in US and China as a 'possible CURE for Covid'

Apprentice star Daniel Elahi's 'Revival Shots' brand has been rapped by the advertising watchdog for fake social media claims.

One ad claimed that his vitamin C drinks are being tested in the US and China as a 'possible cure for Covid'.

The Advertising Standards Authority banned the promotions which surfaced on Facebook and Instagram in April.

Daniel Elahi's (left) Revival Shots suffered a blow from the ASA over adverts (right) on social media 

The watchdog criticised the content for suggesting that Revival Shots' rehydration powders may cure, treat or prevent diseases including the coronavirus. 

The Facebook ad appeared alongside a caption saying each sachet contains 500mg of vitamin C.

The ASA said: 'We considered the ad therefore implied that consuming Revival Shots could, through their vitamin C content, help to cure Covid-19.'

A second ad on Instagram advert featured a review where the user said their headache stopped and sore throat lessened within half an hour of drinking Revival Shots.

Pictured: Another advert that the ASA ordered to be taken down by Revival Shots 

The ASA ruling said: 'Given that the ad was posted in mid-April 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, referred to symptoms sometimes associated with Covid-19 and the reviewer's 'paranoia' about those symptoms, and included the hashtag '£staysafe' which was commonly associated with the pandemic, we considered consumers would understand that the claims in the review were intended to be understood to relate to Covid-19.

'We considered the ad therefore implied that Revival Shots could help to cure Covid-19. We considered that even if the ad was not taken to relate specifically to curing Covid-19 it nonetheless claimed that Revival Shots had cured a headache and sore throat.'

Revival Shots said all three adverts had been removed.

The ASA added: 'Because Covid-19, headaches, and sore throats were medical conditions, we considered that ad (a) stated, and ad (b) implied, that Revival Shots could cure human disease.' 

'Revival Shots had not provided any evidence to demonstrate that their products contained any vitamin in amounts sufficient that they could use any of those authorised health claims in advertising for their products,' the ruling continued.

'The ads must not appear again in the form complained about.'