By James Cleaver, Online News Editor
A campaign by the confectionary company to encourage children to get involved in archaeology has been withdrawn after it turned out that what it was advocating was illegal.
The company had encouraged children to ‘grab your metal detector and go hunting for Roman riches’, failing to note that digging without permission could potentially be illegal and in contravention of the 1996 Treasure Act.
In an article for the British Archaeology News Resource, the University of Bristol’s Dr. Aisling Tierney slammed the proposals, calling them ‘intensely stupid and deeply illegal’. Furthering Cadbury’s embarrassment, she pointed out that an image used in the campaign was not actually that of Mooghaun Fort, despite Cadbury claiming that it was.
Check out my response to the "Cadbury Treasure Hunt Fiasco" https://t.co/U9snoq1VUp via @BAJR #Archaeology#cadburyfiasco #freddogate #cadburygate #cadburytreasures @cadburyuk
— Dr Aisling Tierney (@IrishAshyT) March 17, 2019
Tierney continued: ‘the whole campaign is in breach of the Advertising Standards Agency’s requirement for social responsibility whereby advertising materials should not condone or encourage unsafe, irresponsible or illegal acts.’
The Advertising Standards Authority said that it received about 30 complaints, and was weighing up whether to begin an investigation.
It is not the first time Cadbury have landed themselves in hot water for such an offense. In 1985, the ‘Creme Egg Scandal’ saw members of the public head onto private and protected land to dig up whatever riches they could find.
Featured image: James Cleaver / Epigram
Have Cadbury ended up with egg on their face after this? Let us know below!
