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Nutella is clearly not the only misleading ad out there. In fact, such cases are surprisingly common. Let’s explore some other examples of misleading food advertisements to see how widespread this issue really is.
Campbell’s "Heart-Healthy" Claims
Like many canned soups, Campbell’s products contain high sodium levels, some reaching 800 mg per serving, posing risks to heart health. Ironically, Campbell marketed these soups as "heart-healthy," facing multiple legal challenges over misleading claims. In 1989, the FTC charged Campbell with deceptive advertising for linking low-fat content to reduced heart disease risk while omitting sodium concerns (Andrews, 1989). Later in a 2013 case, consumers stated that the American Heart Association’s "Heart-Check" label on Campbell’s soups misled consumers, since its sodium levels often exceeded AHA guidelines for heart-healthy foods (ABC News, 2013). These cases prove to the public the problematic nature of health claims in food advertising.
Activia’s "Digestive" Health Claims
You’ve probably heard that yogurt probiotics improve digestion, but is it really true? Let’s explore how advertising shapes our perceptions: In 2010, the FTC charged Dannon with deceptive advertising, citing insufficient scientific evidence for these claims. Dannon settled for $21 million and agreed to drop the misleading statements (Lordan, 2010). That same year, a class-action lawsuit resulted in an additional $45 million settlement over false advertising for Activia and DanActive products, demonstrating the impact of ads on consumer perceptions (ABC News, 2010). Even this year, a brand new study revealed that the probiotic strain in Activia yogurt showed no significant effect on improving bowel health (Mole, 2024). These highlight how common it is for food advertisements to misuse health claims without sufficient evidence of actual health benefits.
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