Advertising lies of food manufacturers

Consumer organization Foodwatch encourages consumers to vote on advertising lies

16/05/2011

The promises that food manufacturers attract their customers are often hard to beat for audacity. Therefore, the consumer protection organization Foodwatch annually awards the „Golden puffs“, with the consumer the company, in their view „the boldest advertising lie of the year“ has been able to distribute.

The negative mark of the „Golden windbag“ provides consumers with a way to brand companies with bold claims and increase the pressure on food manufacturers to make honest claims on their products. The consumer organization Foodwatch offers on the website until 16 June, the opportunity to choose between five by an independent jury determined companies with particularly brash advertising lies. Consumers have the opportunity to make it clear to food manufacturers that they disapprove of their misleading advertising practices, said the head of the Foodwatch campaign.

Five food products are available due to misleading information
For the negative price of the „Golden windbag“ There are five candidates on the website who have particularly mislead consumers with their product declarations, Foodwatch said. „Consumers have every reason to be angry, faced with the daily misleading food industry“, said Foodwatch campaign leader Anne Markwardt, adding that consumers are now voting on the choice of food „Golden windbag“ to vent their anger. In doing so, each vote cast shows the manufacturers that the advertising practices used are not tolerated. The articles proposed by the jury include the „Ferdi Fuchs Mini Sausages“for children of the company Stockmeyer, which as „The daily contribution to the healthy diet“ However, foodwatch believes, for example, that they contain too high a salt content. Furthermore, there is the yogurt „Activia“ manufacturer Danone for election, as this, according to the consumer organization „neither a miracle weapon against indigestion nor a guarantee for perfect intestinal well-being“ is. Danone, however, claims that „scientifically proven“ be, „Activia, when consumed daily, can help regulate sluggish digestion and reduce bloated sensation.“ For Foodwatch a misleading of consumers who received an award with the „Golden puff“ would justify it.

Healthy candies and natural pickled cucumbers with color and aroma?
Also to choose from the „Take 2“-Sweets from the manufacturer Storck, as advertised with vitamin supplements, the advertised „valuable vitamins“ however, they are usually completely superfluous, Foodwatch explained. The adolescents will be in the „take 2“-Candy suggests that they can cover their daily vitamin needs with sweets rather than fruit or vegetables, Foodwatch explained the nomination. Another candidate for the „Golden puff“ is the „Milk cuts“ from Ferrero. Because here in the context of advertising - with the help of top athletes as advertising partners - a to about 60 percent consisting of fat and sugar food as a light snack, criticized Food Watch. The „Schlemmertöpfchen Fine Gürkchen“ von Kuehne also received a place on the nomination list of choice for „Golden puff“, as the crafted product with centuries of tradition and „best natural ingredients“ advertised pickled cucumbers, according to Foodwatch different flavors and a dye included.

Consumption waiver in brazen advertising lies
For consumers, the product declarations of food manufacturers are often confusing and sometimes limit the claims of willful deception. Not all advertising lies are by far as conspicuous as with the nominated articles and the consumers will probably not even notice many of the little untruths. With actions like the current election for „Golden puff“ Therefore, consumer organizations are constantly trying to sharpen consumers' critical awareness and send a signal to food manufacturers that misleading is no longer accepted. However, success tends to be modest and manufacturers do not feel compelled to change their product declarations and promotions. Simply abandoning the relevant articles would make it imperative for the manufacturers to act here, as the associated sales losses hit food producers where they are particularly hurt. Whether an award like that „Golden puff“ However, a rethink on the manufacturer side can cause, can be doubted. Rather, the negative award should be understood as a call to consumers to boycott the corresponding products, because in the end can be increased only by a renunciation of consumer pressure on the food manufacturers so that they change their behavior. (Fp)

Also read:
Are vitamins useful in sweets?
Impfkritik: How useful are vaccinations?
High acrylamide levels in gingerbread and chips

Picture: Jörg Siebauer