California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has announced that a public hearing on “naturally occurring” lead levels in chili or tamarind candy has been rescheduled for July 6, 2017. Comments on the petition may be submitted by email or in writing by July 20, 2017. Issue 637
Category Archives Issue 637
The U.K. Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a complaint arguing an advertisement for Arla Foods’ organic milk was misleading because it included the statements “Good for the land” and “helping support a more sustainable future.” ASA reviewed evidence the company provided about its organic farming methods but concluded that the dairy had failed to substantiate its claim that organic milk production has an “overall positive impact on the environment, taking into account its full life cycle.” Accordingly, the agency ruled that the ad was misleading and told Arla not to make environmental claims about their products unless they could be substantiated. Issue 637
Responding to a challenge from Ragù® maker Mizkan Americas Inc., the National Advertising Division (NAD) has recommended that Campbell Soup Co. change broadcast ads featuring toddlers as “life-long pasta experts,” finding the ads are “puffery” and do not contain “a claim about the preferences of toddlers.” The ads showed a split-screen with one child eating and one child refusing the food. Campbell Soup said the claim was substantiated by a “statistically significant” taste test conducted with subjects aged six or older comparing Prego® and Ragù® sauces, but NAD said the ads did not contain a provable claim that young children prefer one sauce over another. Issue 637
The Seattle City Council has approved a tax on distributors of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) proposed by the city’s mayor. SSBs covered by the tax include sports, fruit, energy and soft drinks as well as flavored syrups commonly used in coffee drinks. Baby formula, medications, weight-loss drinks, fruit juice and diet soft drinks are exempt from the tax. See Seattle Times, June 5, 2017. Issue 637
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