 Lawsuit Filed Against General Mills For Marketing Fruit Roll-Ups As Healthy
Class Action Suit States Products Are Full of Sugars, Partially Hydrogenated
Oils & Dyes By Josh Weldon 10/18/2011
Always thought Fruit Roll-Ups were a healthy snack? According to one new lawsuit,
many
Americans are being marketed a false healthy message
of Fruit Roll-Ups,
Fruit Gushers and Fruit by the Foot all manufactured by General Mills. A
consumer protection group has taken action to stop these false messages by
filing a lawsuit on October 14th in a California federal court. The nonprofit Center for Science in the
Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer protection group, as well as the law firm Reese
Richman LLP’s suit alleges that “General Mills is basically dressing up a very
cheap candy as if it were fruit and charging a premium for it,” said CSPI
litigation director Steve Gardner. “General Mills is giving consumers the false
impression that these products are somehow more wholesome, and charging more.
It’s an elaborate hoax on parents who are trying to do right by their kids.”
The complaint states that partially hydrogenated oils are found in Fruit
Roll-Ups and are not a part of any healthy diet. Partially hydrogenated oils
lower HDL, the “good” cholesterol and raises LDL the “bad” cholesterol. The
label doesn’t mention that most of the sugars are from fruit concentrates and
corn syrup, artificial additives and potentially harmful artificial dyes CSPI’s complaint states that the “Defendant is conveying an
overall message of a healthful snack product to parents when, in fact, the
Products contain dangerous, non-nutritious, unhealthy partially hydrogenated
oil, large amounts of sugar, and potentially harmful artificial dyes.” Whats
actually in Fruit Roll-Ups? Strawberry
Fruit Roll-Ups are made from pears from concentrate, corn syrup, dried corn
syrup, sugar, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, citric acid, Sodium
Citrate, acetylated monoglycerides, fruit pectin, dextrose, malic acid, Vitamin
C (ascorbic acid), unspecified “natural flavor,” and Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow
6, and Blue 1. Despite pictures of strawberries and the side label reading
"Made With Real Fruit," no actual Strawberries are anywhere to be found. CSPI says that many of
the ingredients are artificial by anyone’s definition, including the partially
hydrogenated cottonseed oil and the acetylated monoglycerides. Other General Mills products that are
problematic are Gushers Watermelon Blast which contain no watermelon. CSPI
states that, “the bright colors of those products come from synthetic, petroleum-based
dyes that can impair some children’s behavior.”
Not only is it unfair but it’s actually illegal in some
states. Minnesota’s Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act and California has
laws protecting consumers against misleading and deceptive advertising and
fraudulent business practices.
General Mills has had a history of marketing and advertising
deceptions when it comes to health. In 2009 the Food and Drug Administration finally demanded
that General Mills halt its exaggerated claims of Cheerios cholesterol lowering
and cancer prevention ablities. CSPI’s website states that they privately urged
General Mills to change it’s “fruit snacks” labels but did not meet with
success
|
