Cornwall influencer charged restaurants for positive reviews
A food influencer, known as Food Review Club, is under fire for allegedly failing to disclose paid reviews of Cornish restaurants, potentially misleading his followers. Businesses claim he charged up to £1,250 for reviews, which were presented as unbiased opinions. The Advertising Standards Agency is investigating the influencer, Matthew Davies-Binge, for potentially violating advertising regulations by not declaring paid content. Several restaurant owners who declined to pay for reviews have spoken out, accusing him of being disingenuous and "phony." The influencer's management company offered paid reviews to businesses, and some establishments that paid reported positive results. The ASA has received complaints about the influencer's lack of ad disclosure, and the Competition and Markets Authority warns that hidden ads are illegal.