Controversial burger name does not breach advertising standards

Cameron Archibald of Burger Cartel.

The Advertising Standards Authority says it can't make a ruling on a complaint about the name of a kid's burger at a Whanganui restaurant.

The complaint to the advertising regulator is part of a dispute between a Whanganui couple and Burger Cartel, the popular burger eatery in Whanganui East.

Cameron Archibald, one of the owners of Burger Cartel in Whanganui East, claimed earlier this month that his business is under attack from an online campaign.

He had accused locals Karyn and Dave Hoskin of "online bullying".

Burger Cartel has adopted a theme for its menu, using drug dealer related names for various items. The business opened its doors in July, and Archibald said it had enjoyed steady growth.

The Hoskins, however, have taken issue with Burger Cartel's theme — in particular, a burger on the kids' menu called "Trafficking", which the couple say is distasteful.
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Karyn Hoskin has made a complaint against Burger Cartel over the name of one of the kids burgers.

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"I saw a print of his menu that he'd posted and I noticed the word 'Trafficking' under the kids' menu," Karyn Hoskin told the Chronicle.

"I was like, 'My goodness, that's not great'. I was curious to know what he meant by that - my first thought was child trafficking, sex trafficking."

She complained to the Advertising Standards Authority, saying the name of the burger was "highly distasteful in light of the devastating effects of drug trafficking on families and children".

But the ASA has decided it doesn't have the jurisdiction to consider the case.