Trip's 'crafted for calm': the magnesium drink that claimed what no drink may claim

A product page on Trip's own website, seen on 20 December 2024, promoted Cucumber Mint – Mindful Blend Magnesium Drink with the line 'Try me in the morning to help find some calm before a long day, or take a Trip to unwind when work is over'. Further copy said the Mindful Blend range's 'viral ingredients' — Lion's Mane, L-theanine and ashwagandha — were 'calming', that magnesium 'reduces serum cortisol', and that the drink contained '0g added sugar'.

Complainants challenged the claims under CAP Code rules on food and drink marketing: 15.1 forbids marketing that claims a food or drink can prevent, treat or cure human disease; 15.1.1 requires health claims to be authorised on the GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register; and 15.6/15.6.2 govern nutrition claims.

The ASA found that 'crafted for calm' and 'simply help you feel calm' would lead consumers to believe the drink reduces anxiety — a disease claim in all but name, which no food or drink may make. The magnesium and serum cortisol claim was a health claim not authorised on the register. And '0g added sugar' was inaccurate because the drink's sugars were naturally present, breaking the rules on nutrition claims.

The ASA upheld the complaint on 16 July 2025. The ad must not appear again, and Trip was told not to claim the drink prevents, treats or cures human disease. Trip said it had already removed the claims while seeking external advice, and hoped to reintroduce them in future.