There is a now a worrying trend in regards to drinks that are supposed to promote a healthy lifestyle. The popular Vitamin Water beverage is once again facing problems and outcry about its misleading health claims. A complaint was recently filed to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by a consumer group. It was filed on the grounds that advertising of the so-called “healthy” beverage is not only misleading but could also be potentially dangerous to the consumers’ health.
Vitamin Water, which runs with the tag line “healthy hydration for every occasion” is marketed to consumers who are looking for a drink that can boost their health and immune system. Each of the different flavour options have names such as “Defense”, “Essential”, and “Multi-V”, which are suggestive of health benefits and contain 100 per cent of the daily allowance of vitamin C. Each option is also fortified with a number of other nutrients including vitamin B, C, E, zinc, calcium, potassium, lutein and antioxidants.
The real problem with this, however, is that this “healthy” product actually contains 125 calories and 30 grams of sugar. That means that some experts feel that it is no more than a glorified sugar-sweetened beverage in a bottle.
In their complaint, the National Consumers League (NCL) cited the Vitamin Water television and print campaigns for the product which promote its apparent ability to “support a healthy immune system”. It is even suggested that it is a substitute to an influenza vaccine to stave off the condition. According to this consumer group, these claims are fake, misleading, and “constitute a public heath menace.” It is now up to the FTC to investigate this claim further.