Tag: advertising
-
Putative Class Alleges Trader Joe’s “All Natural” Products Contain Artificial Ingredients
California residents have filed a putative class action in a federal court against grocery chain Trader Joe’s Co., alleging that a number of its “All Natural” products contain synthetic or artificial ingredients and thus are mislabeled and falsely advertised. Larsen v. Trader Joe’s Co., No. 11-5188 (N.D. Cal., filed October 24, 2011). According to the…
-
Court Trims Claims in Sugar vs. HFCS Litigation, Allows Action to Proceed
A federal court in California has issued orders allowing certain claims to proceed in Lanham Act litigation brought by sugar producers against trade associations and companies that make high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). W. Sugar Coop. v. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., No. 11-3473 (C.D. Cal., orders entered October 21, 2011). The plaintiffs allege that an advertising campaign the defendants…
-
Consumer Interests Seek FTC Investigation of Digital Youth Marketing; Doritos® Targeted
Several consumer advocacy organizations have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) based on a report that “identifies, analyzes, and documents a set of digital marketing practices that pose particular threats to children and youth, especially when used to promote foods that are high in fat, sugars, and salt, which are known to…
-
Agency Reps Reveal Watered-Down Youth Marketing Principles in Committee Testimony
The House Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing on October 12, 2011, to consider “Food Marketing: Can ‘Voluntary’ Government Restrictions Improve Children’s Health?” Speaking for the committee, Chair Fred Upton (R-Mich.) concluded that an interagency working group tasked with developing standards for marketing food to children and teenagers had taken what appeared to be “a…
-
PHAI Publishes Materials to Support Suits Against Companies Marketing Food to Children
Cara Wilking, a Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) staff attorney, has authored an issue brief intended to provide a legal foundation for consumer protection lawsuits against food companies that advertise “unhealthy food and beverage products” to children in a manner that she describes as “pester power” marketing. She explains that such marketing “targets children who,…
-
New Lawsuit Claims Bear Naked Foods Not “100% Pure and Natural”
California residents have filed a putative class action in federal court against a company that promotes its granola, cookie and trail mix products as “100% Pure and Natural,” despite making them with some purportedly synthetic ingredients. Thurston v. Bear Naked, Inc., No. 11-4678 (N.D. Cal., filed September 21, 2011). Seeking to represent a nationwide class of…
-
Obama Urged to Finalize Proposed Regulations on Food Marketing to Kids
Public health advocates from around the country have sent a letter to President Barack Obama (D) urging his administration to finalize the April 2011 proposed voluntary standards for food marketing to children. The guidelines would set limits on the amount of unhealthy fats, added sugars and sodium in foods advertised to children ages 2-17. Additional…
-
FTC Considers Amendments to Children’s Online Privacy
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed amendments to rules issued under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which requires the owners and operators of websites intended for children younger than age 13 to obtain “verifiable consent from parents before collecting, using, or disclosing such information from children.” The amendments apparently seek to address recent…