Flora's claims fails watchdog's health test

by Daniel Farey-Jones, Brand Republic 28-Jun-06, 12:00

LONDON - Unilever was unable to substantiate a claim that its Flora Pro Activ margarine 'helps keep blood vessels healthy' after the advertising watchdog received a complaint about a print ad.

The ad was headlined "A spread that not only lowers cholesterol but also helps keep blood vessels healthy? What have you been eating?"

The Advertising Standards Authority accepted that the product lowers cholesterol, but investigated whether it had the additional benefit Unilever claimed.

It took expert advice on the evidence sent in by Unilever, which the advertiser believed substantiated its claims. The evidence concentrated on the ability of the product's ingredients, B vitamins and folic acid to maintain normal levels of a blood ingredient called homocysteine and improve blood vessel reactivity.

The expert advice was that the evidence did not adequately prove the effect of the spread on indicators of blood vessel health, such as reactivity or wall thickness.

After checking with the Joint Health Claims Initiative, which had not approved claims relating the ingredients' effect on homocysteine, the ASA considered the claim could mislead consumers.

The JHCI is a joint venture between consumer organisations, enforcement authorities and industry trade associations in the UK to establish a Code of Practice for health claims on food.

The ASA told Unilever not to repeat the ad or imply in future ads that the spread helps to maintain blood vessel health over and above the effect of lowering cholesterol.

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