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Influencer ad labelling rules in the UK: when and how to use #ad

If a creator has been paid, gifted or otherwise incentivised to post about a product, the CMA expects that content to be clearly labelled as an ad. This page covers what counts as payment, which labels work, and what brands are expected to do.

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Answers are written by a language model solely from this base's documents, with numbered sources. They can be wrong and aren't legal, medical or financial advice: check the sources before any important decision.

What counts as payment

The CMA treats any form of incentive or reward as payment: money, commissions, discounts, gifts of any products, and leases or loans free of charge or on better terms than offered to the public.

The guidance applies to formal contracts and informal or verbal arrangements alike, including unsolicited 'freebies' and posts about your own business. It applies no matter how many followers you have.

A label that is clear, prominent and timely

Use a label such as 'ad', 'advert', 'advertising' or 'advertisement'. Tagging a brand, using a discount code or adding an affiliate link is not enough on its own.

The CMA lists terms to avoid, including '#gifted', '#aff', '#collab', '#spon', '#sponsored', 'PR Haul' or simply naming the brand. The audience should not need to scroll, click, visit your bio or study the content to see the disclosure, and in videos or podcasts it must come at the beginning. Each promotional item in a carousel needs its own label.

Responsibilities of brands

Brands are expected to make sure content promoting them is labelled as advertising, even when they do not control it or ask for anything in return. The CMA recommends telling creators about their obligations in the contract, including clear instructions with free gifts, and having a written policy that intermediaries such as talent agencies also know about.

Brands should check posts that mention them and correct mislabelled content promptly. Continuing to work with a creator who repeatedly fails to label ads puts the brand at risk.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the platform's built-in 'paid partnership' label?

Yes, provided the label is clear and easy to see or access. If the tool does not clearly convey that the content is an ad, the CMA says you should add #Ad in a clear, upfront position.

Do I need to disclose posts about my own brand?

Yes. If you own, co-own, are employed by or are otherwise connected with a brand, those posts must be clearly labelled as ads. The same applies to brands owned by your family or friends.

Can I use a beauty filter when showing a product's results?

The creator guidance warns against exaggerating the results of a beauty product through a video or photo filter. Content must also reflect your genuine experience and must not make claims you have not checked, such as saying something tastes good if you have not tried it.

What happens to creators who do not label ads?

They may be in breach of consumer protection law and face a substantial fine, and could face action from the CMA, Trading Standards or the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland. The ASA can also name non-compliant creators.

For developers and agents

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MCP for your agents

This base's MCP server URL (tools ask_base and search_base):

MCP URL
https://kopik.io/api/mcp?base=uk-cma-consumer-law-reviews-influencers-green-claims
Claude Code, Cursor and other clients
Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport http kopik-uk-cma-consumer-law-reviews-influencers-green-claims "https://kopik.io/api/mcp?base=uk-cma-consumer-law-reviews-influencers-green-claims" --header "Authorization: Bearer kpk_…"
JSON config (mcpServers)
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kopik-uk-cma-consumer-law-reviews-influencers-green-claims": {
      "url": "https://kopik.io/api/mcp?base=uk-cma-consumer-law-reviews-influencers-green-claims",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer kpk_…"
      }
    }
  }
}

REST API for your apps

mode is "answer" (written answer + sources) or "passages" (raw passages only). Add an optional maxPriceCents to cap the price: if the base costs more, the call is refused and nothing is charged.

curl
curl -X POST https://kopik.io/api/v1/bases/uk-cma-consumer-law-reviews-influencers-green-claims/query \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer kpk_…" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"question": "Your question here", "mode": "answer"}'

Getting started

  1. Create a key in your dashboard and top up your credit.
  2. Replace kpk_… with your key.
  3. Full details (responses, errors, JS and Python examples): developer docs.