Pay for Play in the UK

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The popular Richard and Judy show on British television has been fined £5,000 after regular viewers suspected it included product placement. The Times reports that "editorial control ... was practically handed over to the energy drinks company, Red Bull." Viewers had complained that one segment on the show "seemed like an advertisement for Red Bull with celebrity endorsements" and "a sponsored advert for the coffee and Red Bull industry." The show also featured a health "expert," Louise Reyner, without disclosing that she had received a research grant from Red Bull. Reyner told viewers, "An energy drink such as Red Bull is particularly good because it has always got 80mg of caffeine and we are recommending that people take about 160mg of caffeine, so that equates to two cans."