Flora rapped for misleading health benefit ads

The complaint echoes a similar one for Unilever's Flora Pro Activ margarine, which was found to be in breach of substantiation claims in March, for claiming it "helped keep blood vessels healthy".

The brand's recent ad claims that eating vegetables with Flora is healthier because the product contains Omega 3 and 6 oils, which are low in saturated fats, and vitamins A, B, D and E.

Flora's claims were challenged by rival brand Dairy Crest, the Food Commission and by members of the public, and eventually upheld by the ASA on the grounds that Flora had breached: clauses 3.1, substantiation; 7.1, truthfulness; and 50.1, health products.

The ASA said: "The picture of the corn with melted Flora on it misleadingly implied that adding fat to a plain vegetable was better for health than eating the vegetable on its own. Because it was not, we told Unilever not to repeat the approach."

The brand was found not to be in breach of a separate charge relating to claims that Omega 6 fatty acids can reduce cholesterol levels.

The ASA said: "We concluded the claim that the oils in Flora were heart healthy was acceptable."

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