Dannon sued over false advertising claims

Dannon, a food-product company, was sued by a California consumer for false advertising claims for Activia and DanActive.

Photo: Dannon sued over false advertising claims

Dannon sued over false advertising claims

The plaintiff reported that false yogurt advertising brought Dannon hundreds of millions of dollars for an ordinary yogurt. The respondent (the company) in its turn claimed that Activia and DanActive aid digestion and strengthen immunity. The consumer wanted Dannon to refund everyone who bought the products. The compensation totals about $300 million.

The evidence that can prove Dannon’s boasts that probiotics provide health benefits is lacking.

Reps from Dannon could not be reached.

Activia is a low-fat probiotic yogurt-like produced by Danone (Dannon in the U.S.), either a semi-solid yoghurt or a yoghurt drink and sold in small and larger packages in more than 30 countries worldwide. Activia contains the probiotic bacterium Bifidobacterium animalis. It also contains vitamin B12 and calcium.

Danone claims that the "Bifidus regularis" or "Bifidus actiregularis" (both are brand names of Bifidobacterium animalis) helps digestive discomfort and irregularity.

DanActive has been clinically proven to help naturally strengthen the body’s defenses and improve the body’s immune system.

Photo: www.brandchannel.com