Most individuals learn about advertising. This helps them to understand marketing is not typically all that true. However, a company can only go so far without proof to back up claims made about a product or service. In Los Angeles, the business POM Wonderful LLC makes a pomegranate drink that is popular. This company is now being sued by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, reports the Wall Street Journal. The Federal Trade Commission claims within the suit that POMx supplements and POM Wonderful juice have “false and unverified claims that their products will prevent or treat heart disease, prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction.”
POM Wonderful facing stiff challenge from Federal Trade Commission
The WSJ argues that POM Wonderful products aren’t that bad. They have been “proven to fight for cardiovascular, prostate and erectile health,” supposedly. The business is told by the Federal Trade Commission that its marketing is false. There isn’t enough proof from statements like a “30 percent decrease in arterial plaque” and “17 percent improved blood flow.”. POM Wonderful makes statements that aren’t very legitimate. It states that “unprecedented scientific research,” is put into the products before advertising.
“Any consumer who sees POM Wonderful products as a silver bullet against disease has been misled,” David Vladeck of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection said in a media statement.
POM Wonderful had submitted a pre-emptive suit against the Federal Trade Commission
According to POM Wonderful, the FTC’s requirements are unreasonable. The Federal Trade Commission hadn’t even submitted the lawsuit when POM Wonderful said the needs weren’t fair. POM Wonderful claims its free-speech rights in the First Amendment are being hurt because of the requirements. The FTC was just doing its job when asking questions about the all too specific health claims by POM Wonderful making sure the public is safe from false advertising. In one series of ads, POM Wonderful claims that drinking pomegranate juice is the only way to reduce PSAs (prostate-specific antigens). These facts have to be proven scientifically before stating them. The WSJ reports that they weren’t proven. Consumers are expected to buy depending on unverified statements.
Further reading
Wall Street Journal
online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704654004575517871757238034.html?KEYWORDS=POM Wonderful
Protesting POM Wonderful’s animal testing (Warning: Some NSFW language is audible)
youtube.com/watch?v=htxIpHbl4lA
