Attention to supposedly healthy foods

Beware of hidden sugar in supposedly healthy foods

16/11/2013

Consumers should not fall for advertising slogans on health when buying groceries. Often manufacturers would trick, for example, by promoting products containing vitamins, but concealing a high sugar or fat content.

Prohibit health-related advertising
Consumer advocates warn against falling for advertising slogans from food manufacturers who declare their products healthy. Mistrust is appropriate when referring to the content of vitamin C, because often hides a high proportion of fat or sugar in the supposedly healthy food. Andreas Winkler from the consumer protection organization Foodwatch says: „Health claims should generally be banned.“

Fruit quark with three times as much sugar
The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg also dealt with the topic last Thursday. The German competition headquarters had sued the Allgäu yogurt producer Ehrmann, because of his fruit quark „monsterbacke“ with the slogan „As important as the daily glass of milk!“ applies. The company is accused of transferring the positive image of milk to the product, even though the fruit quark contains almost three times as much sugar. The verdict would have to be supplemented by further references to the alleged advantage - milk is finally considered healthy - demanded also the EU expert. The company contends that the saying is not a health claim.

Scientific proof required
As confirmed by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection, according to the EU Health Claims Regulation, food manufacturers are not automatically allowed to advertise with health claims. Only if scientifically proven, can corresponding statements be made. Thus, a manufacturer may advertise with the claim „reduces tiredness“, if the product contains magnesium. The statement „reduces hair loss“ however, it would be prohibited.

List of allowed statements
Since last December, there is a list of allowed claims. It was created by the European Commission and contains 222 statements. Around 2,000 further details are to be examined. However, consumer advocates are often skeptical about the health claim regulation. Andrea Schauff of the consumer center Hessen criticizes: „Many manufacturers simply use the long list of permitted statements differently than originally thought.“ They would enrich their products with vitamins, minerals or other substances in order to print a positive health statement on the packaging. Then it no longer matters that the product still contains, for example, a lot of fat and sugar. Schauff criticizes: „This is not in the interests of the inventors.“

Golden cream puff
The nonprofit organization Foodwatch has been awarding a negative price for every year since 2009 „the boldest advertising bag in a children's product“, the „Golden puff“. 120,000 consumers participated in the vote this year. The quark dish „monsterbacke“ landed in fourth place. The drink won „Capri-Sun (Orange)“ the manufacturer Wild / SiSi-Werke, which contains only a little fruit, but six and a half pieces of sugar cubes. (Ad)

Picture: Lupo