Today's Legal Eagle involves a false advertising claim raised by some Canadians concerning Vitaminwater, which is owned by the Coca Cola Company. The lawsuit basically alleges that Coke engaged in deceptive trade practices by marking Vitaminwater as a healthy beverage, even though sugar is the third ingredient in the product (I guess the plaintiffs in the case would prefer Vitaminsugarwater be the name). This lawsuit follows a similar class action lawsuit filed in the United States last year. There is a great article, from about nine months ago, discussing developments in that case in Time magazine, "Is Vitaminwater Really a Healthy Drink?"
According to the Canadian lawsuit, a standard Vitaminwater bottle contains 32 grams of added sugar, which according to American Heart Association recommendations, exceeds the daily consumption of added sugar for women by seven grams and for men is 85 percent of the recommended daily intake. Here is an example of one of the more crazy examples anti-Vitaminwater advocates point to to justify their complaint:
Coke's response really isn't all that better. They response: How could anyone every really believe anything we advertise is true? That may be true for the above example (anyone who actually things drinking Vitaminwater will prevent the flu probably deserves to get it for a week). But if you have ever looked at a Vitaminwater bottle before, it really is difficult to not believe it is pretty good for you.
So, what do you think? Is Coke wrong for not being more clear about what is in their products? Or do you think people ought to take a little more responsibility for what they take into their bodies?
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