EXPLAINER: How are adverts regulated in South Africa?

Loading player...
GUEST - Gail Schimmel, CEO of the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB)



In this conversation we unpack how advertising is regulated in South Africa and why truth in branding matters.



Gail Schimmel, CEO of the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB), explains the role of the ARB in safeguarding consumer interests, setting industry standards, and ensuring advertisers strike a balance between creative expression and factual accuracy.



We dive into the recent Liqui Fruit case, where the ARB ordered the company to drop its long-standing slogan, “Nothing But Fruit”, after finding it misled consumers about the actual contents of its juices. Gail takes us through how the ARB evaluates consumer complaints, investigates claims, and makes rulings that impact both brands and the public.



From the complexities of regulating creativity to the next steps for Liqui Fruit, this conversation highlights how advertising watchdogs are shaping accountability and why every word in an advert matters.
15 Sep 2025 4PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

SAFDA’s plan to rescue Tongaat-Hulett and protect farmers’ livelihoods

South Africa’s sugar industry faces a critical moment as Tongaat-Hulett, one of the country’s oldest and most prominent sugar producers, confronts provisional liquidation despite ongoing efforts to stabilise the business. South African Farmers’ Development Association (SAFDA), led by Chairperson Dr Siyabonga Madlala, has stepped in to assure farmers and employees…
19 Feb 2PM 17 min

South African professionals are facing a new era of stress

South African professionals are facing a new era of stress, one that is no longer confined to busy periods or isolated pressures but embedded in the fabric of everyday life. The 2025 Profmed Stress Index released on Thursday reveals a workforce grappling with financial strain, toxic workplace cultures, systemic instability…
19 Feb 2PM 11 min

Budget 2026: Tax Policy Choices and revenue strategy under fiscal pressure

As South Africa prepares for the 2026 National Budget Speech on 25 February, revenue collection and tax policy are expected to take centre stage. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana faces the difficult task of sustaining fiscal consolidation while supporting economic stability in an environment of modest growth and rising expenditure pressures…
19 Feb 2PM 12 min

Navigating personal finance challenges

As South Africans face a growing cost-of-living squeeze, more households are turning to credit not for luxury, but simply to cover everyday essentials. Rising prices for groceries, transport, school fees, rent, and electricity mean many families are borrowing just to survive, and debt is increasingly becoming a lifeline, with dangerous…
19 Feb 2PM 12 min

PG glass, Glasfit accused of price fixing in automotive glass market

South Africa’s automotive glass industry is under the spotlight after the Competition Commission found that two major players, PG Glass and Glasfit, allegedly operated as a cartel, working together to fix prices. The Commission has now referred the matter to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution, arguing that the companies entered…
19 Feb 2PM 11 min