Digital media gave rise to the largest block of complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) last year, according to its 2015 annual report.

Some 449 complaints, or 38 per cent of the total, were registered in respect of digital advertising, which in Ireland accounts for more ad spending than television.

The number fell from 606 complaints about digital ads in 2014 but the proportion of complaints represented by digital has been increasing steadily year on year.

In 2010, digital ads represented just 22 per cent of complaints to the ASAI.

A total of 1,221 written complaints relating to 924 advertisements were submitted to the self-regulatory body, which found that 72 of these ads were in breach of its code of standards.

Some 62 per cent of the complaints made last year were on the basis that an advertisement was misleading, while 24 per cent of the complaints were made on the basis that an advertisement was offensive.

Issues raised by members of the public included concerns about the marketing of telecommunications, alcohol, food, financial services and slimming products.