These reports are case summaries of complaints which appeared to raise issues of substance in relation to the interpretation of the ITC Advertising Standards Code. Summary statistics of non-substantive complaints can be found in the full reports which are obtainable from the ITC.
Kelloggs Nutrigrain Elevenses
Complaint from: 1 viewer
Background
An advertisement for Kellogg's Nutrigrain Elevenses bar described the product as a "healthy snack" with "whole grain oats, wheat and fruit" and ended by describing the product as "all good stuff".
Issue
The viewer considered the sugar content of the product too high for it to be described as healthy. Additionally, the ITC queried the "all good stuff" claim when used in conjunction with the "healthy snack" description.
Assessment
The BACC had taken advice from an independent nutritional consultant who expressed concern about describing a product containing high levels of sugar (38%) as "healthy". The BACC considered that the claim was justified, however, because the bar was fortified with nutrigrains and iron, and appeared to be lower in fat and contained more vitamins than some other snacks. The BACC and its nutritional consultant considered that the basic ingredients of the bar, consisting of whole grain oats, wheat and fruit was sufficient to justify the line "all good stuff". Kellogg's stated that the advertisement sought to compare Nutrigrain Elevenses with other snack products, and provided comparisons with other snacks such as a chocolate bar and a bacon sandwich to support its claim. As a reinforcing point, it also compared the sugar content of the Elevenses bar with fruit, stating that the bar had no more sugar than a portion of some fruit, eg. an orange.
The ITC acknowledged that there was no intention on the part of Kellogg's to mislead. However, it shared the concerns expressed by the complainant and the nutritional consultant about the unqualified use of the term "healthy". It considered that the public generally understood foods such as fruit, vegetables, salad, fish etc. to be "healthy", and not processed snacks. However the ITC noted, in the light of the evidence supplied by Kellogg's, that the advertising aimed to demonstrate that Nutrigrain Elevenses is "healthy" in comparison to some other snacks - in other words "healthier".
Whilst the ITC accepted this was a valid aim, the ITC concluded that, particularly with its references to the product's natural ingredients, the advertisement had made it insufficiently clear that
a) the term "healthy" was being used in a comparative sense
b) the comparison was with other processed snacks and not necessarily with traditionally "healthy" foodstuffs
and was thus capable of misleading viewers as to the true nature of the principal claim.
The ITC further judged that the term "all good stuff", whilst it might in some circumstances be a legitimate reference to the substantially natural basic ingredients, was not acceptable in conjunction with the absolute claim "healthy", as it appeared to offer the claim unqualified support.
Conclusion
Complaint upheld. Breach of ITC Code Rule 8.3.1.
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