US consumer watchdog The Center for Science in the Public Interest has accused General Mills of an “elaborate hoax” in the way it markets fruit snacks.
The CSPI has filed a lawsuit in California over what it says are General Mills’ “misleading claims” about the food company’s Fruit Roll-Ups, Fruit by the Foot and Fruit Gushers products.
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The watchdog claims General Mills markets the snacks as “fruit flavoured”, “naturally flavoured” and a “good source of vitamin C”. However, it argues the fruit snacks are “mostly sugars, artificial additives and potentially harmful artificial dyes”.
Steve Gardner, the CSPI’s litigation director, said: “General Mills is basically dressing up a very cheap candy as if it were fruit and charging a premium for it. 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, filed by the CSPI on behalf of a California mother, claims General Mills has violated a number of state laws, including regulations in California on misleading and deceptive advertising.
General Mills defended the way it labels the products. “We stand behind our products – and we stand behind the accuracy of the labeling of those products,” it said. “We cannot comment further at this point, because to our knowledge we have not been served.”
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By GlobalDataHowever, the CSPI insisted it had filed the lawsuit and pointed to documents stamped by the court in California, which it said indicated the action had been served.
