Friday, March 30, 2007
Glaring Omission
GlaxoSmithKline, the multinational company, has been fined $Aus193,ooo for misleading people about the vitamin content of its blackcurrant drink, Ribena, and ordered to run corrective advertisements as well as an explanation on its website.
Two New Zealand girls, Jenny Suo and Anna Devathasan decided to use Ribena from a box carton to perform a science experiment about vitamins. To their astonishment they found that the drink that is heavily promoted for having a high vitamin C content, a claimed 7 milligrams per 100 millilitres, in fact had no detectable vitamin C at all.
In Australia there is a commercial showing a bunch of animated oranges getting into trouble and some blackcurrants coming to their rescue with the clear inference that it is the superior vitamin C content that is responsible for the blackcurrants ability to save the oranges.
The company admitted its guilt to a New Zealand court after giving short thrift to the girl's attempts to question the company about the lack of vitamin content, however the girls, even though they were happy the company admitted guilt, felt that the fine was too small for a multinational business.
Maybe the oranges will sue. For sure, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi must be turning in his grave.
Two New Zealand girls, Jenny Suo and Anna Devathasan decided to use Ribena from a box carton to perform a science experiment about vitamins. To their astonishment they found that the drink that is heavily promoted for having a high vitamin C content, a claimed 7 milligrams per 100 millilitres, in fact had no detectable vitamin C at all.
In Australia there is a commercial showing a bunch of animated oranges getting into trouble and some blackcurrants coming to their rescue with the clear inference that it is the superior vitamin C content that is responsible for the blackcurrants ability to save the oranges.
The company admitted its guilt to a New Zealand court after giving short thrift to the girl's attempts to question the company about the lack of vitamin content, however the girls, even though they were happy the company admitted guilt, felt that the fine was too small for a multinational business.
Maybe the oranges will sue. For sure, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi must be turning in his grave.
Labels: Ribena
2 Comments:
Wahoo! That is a perfect example of how one or two can make a difference!
Hi tanna, yep, the power of one x two. Good on them for having enquiring minds and shame on GSK.
Hi fiddy, very well put!
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