Nutella settles lawsuit over health claims (apparently chocolate spread is not, in fact, health food)
Apparently the world of tasty hazelnut spreads can get pretty litigious. Ferrero, the company behind the sweet, sweet chocolate and hazelnut paste Nutella, agreed recently to a $3 million settlement in order to end four class-action suits filed by a group of American mothers. They claimed the company used misleading ads to portray their sugar-laden product as healthy. Exhibit A: this commercial, where a harried mom feeds her kids the spread on multigrain toast and it’s supposed to be totally fine for them since the bread has fiber…or something. In reality, a few tablespoons of Nutella contain 200 calories, 11 grams of fat (3.5 of them saturated) and 21 grams of sugar—which is more like eating a chocolate bar, really. Thanks to the case, Ferrero USA has agreed to revise its labelling and advertising campaigns (among the now-verboten phrases, the supremely vague “quality ingredients”). If you want to get in on the class action lawsuit, there’s still time: eligible consumers (i.e. Americans) can submit a claim for $4 per jar purchased, though that’s capped at a maximum of $20. [Globe and Mail]
I also felt deceived about the product of Nutella. I have blood sugar problems, hoping it would lower my blood sugar
levels. However, quit using the product. Where can I be a part of the settlement issued by Nutella
I don’t see anywhere in that commercial that implies Nutella is healthy. The emphasis was on “easy to make and kids will like it”. Did they lie on the Nutrition portion of the label, if not, I don’t see a case.
In other news, milk is found to come from cows and fish have been seen swimming in water.
I now revert to my belief that we will one day bow down to our monkey overlords.
“The Forbidden Zone was once a paradise. Your breed made a desert of it, ages ago.”
Read the labels people!!!
I think this is the most ridiculous waste of time and money. No one has a problem feeding their kids crappy cereal for breakfast that has no real nutrition but you put milk on it and that’s supposed to make it healthy. At least Nutella has some protien in it and no one I know puts sereral tblsps. on a piece of toast. People slather jam on toast with at least as much sugar as Nutella and that seems to be okay for kids. I agree sugar is bad but don’t single out one product when everything we buy processed has way to much sugar, salt and saturated fat.
Umm listen VERY CAREFULLY to that commercial. Never do they claim that Nutella is healthy or in any way good for you.
“Delicious hazelnut spread that is perfect on multi-grain toast” – It can go on toast. No false advertising here.
“A quick and easy way to give my family a breakfast they’ll want to eat” – again, no health claim. just a tasty spread to get kids to eat whole wheat toast.
“made with quality ingredients” – true, but to be fair, so are deep-fried candy bars.
“they love the taste, and i feel good that they’re ready to tackle the day” a day is pretty easy to tackle after eating breakfast; even more so with a sugar high.
It is the same thing with sugary cereals. They never claim to be good for you, but claim that they can ‘be part of a complete breakfast’. Notice the word ‘part’? It is the same as saying “air freshener; part of a complete automobile”. It’s really just an option, but it CAN be in there.