The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) felt the promotion "doesn't break our rules and there are no grounds for further action" despite assessing the complaints brought to them.
Don't Miss
Most Read
Trending on GB News
Tesco's Christmas advert featuring a Covid passport-wielding Father Christmas has been cleared by regulators following thousands of complaints from viewers.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) felt the promotion "doesn't break our rules and there are no grounds for further action" despite assessing the complaints brought to them.
The ad, titled This Christmas, Nothing’s Stopping Us, shows the supermarket’s customers determined to enjoy a proper Christmas with family and friends after last year’s Covid-related restrictions.
The moment in question sees a fictional reporter announcing that Santa "could be quarantined" only for him to appear at an airport with a Covid passport, declaring him "vaccinated."
The ASA said "we consider that the depiction of Santa displaying a proof of vaccine status in an airport is likely to be seen as a humorous reference to international travel rules people have experienced this year; it is unlikely to be interpreted as a message about these rules or the Covid-19 vaccine more widely.
“While we understand that some people disagree with the vaccine programme and may find the ad in poor taste, we have concluded that the ad is unlikely to be seen as irresponsible or cause serious or widespread offence on the basis suggested.”
The scene from the full 90-second ad, which is set to Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now, sparked fierce debate on social media after the ad launched last month.
One person tweeted: “Did I really just see a Christmas TV ad on ITV for Tesco to Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop me Now’ hit with families having fun / flying abroad etc & then a guy smiling flashing up his smart phone with a COVID passport on it?? Omg I am NEVER shopping at Tesco again #boycottTesco not ok.’”
Another tweeted: “Unacceptable and despicable. HUGE mistake on your part.”
The ASA said the large majority of complaints claimed the ad was coercive and encouraged medical discrimination based on vaccine status.
