An advertisement for CrossCountry Trains has been prohibited by regulators for making exaggerated claims about the availability of complimentary food and drink for first-class passengers.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) discovered that despite the railway operator’s website asserting that passengers would receive complimentary food and drink “on most of our first-class services,” catering was actually available on less than 80% of journeys.
The website stated: “An at-seat service of complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and snacks is available throughout the day for all first-class customers … In addition to drinks and snacks, customers on longer journeys can choose from a range of complimentary sandwiches.” 
Two passengers raised complaints, asserting that the advertisement was deceptive as they frequently traveled on the first-class service but did not receive complimentary food and drink.
CrossCountry Trains informed the regulator that the period leading up to the complainants seeing the advertisement was marked by “exceptional disruption” due to industrial action and four storms. The train operator explained that it had planned to offer catering, including first-class food and drink, on approximately 70% to 78% of the Voyager routes that operated on most of its long-distance services from September to November 2023, with slight variations depending on the day of the week.
The ASA stated that the advertisement “presented complimentary food and drink as a significant aspect of CrossCountry Trains’ first-class service.” It concluded that the scheduled rate of between 70% and 78% of services offering catering was insufficient to support the overall impression given by the advertisement that complimentary food and drink would be available on nearly all first-class services.
The ASA ruled that the advertisement should not be displayed again, and advised CrossCountry Trains not to use the claim “complimentary food and drink” unless it could provide adequate evidence to support the assertion.
CrossCountry’s services cover routes from Cardiff to Nottingham, from Reading through Birmingham to the North East, and from the South West to Manchester and Scotland.
