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Maltesers not low-fat

By Carla Bevan on Wednesday 15 October 2008

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Marie Claire Health News: Maltesers

SHOCK HORROR: Maltesers aren't a diet food!

That's the findings of the Advertising Standards Authority who have rapped Mars, who distributes the snack, over the knuckles for somehow managing to imply they were.

Recently advertised on TV with the claim, 'At less than 11 calories each, you'll need new ways to be naughty,' the ASA says that's rather missing the point.

Claiming the ad gave the 'misleading impression that a Malteser was low in energy' (by which they mean calories), the ASA did, however, say Mars can continue to use the 25-year-old tagline 'Maltesers - the lighter way to enjoy chocolate'.

Also in trouble for trying to make us munch more chocolate is McVitie's, who makes Jaffa Cakes.

Currently claiming that the biscuits (they might call them 'cakes', we know they're not really) contain 'only 1 gram of fat', the ASA points out they actually contain 8g of fat per 100g (only a product with less than 3g of fat per 100g can claim to be low fat).

And while it's at it, the ASA points out that new drink This Water has also got to change its advertising because claiming the juice is made from 'fruit and clouds' is rather misleading given the 10% sugar content.

Anyone for an apple?

Wednesday 15 October 2008

Have your say ...

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on the one hand, I'm glas the ASA is there to uphold standards but...was anyone fooled anyway? I think consumers are wise to outrageous twisting of the truth in adverts and we do read the labels and use our own judgement. We're really not as dumb and trusting as the food manufacturers seem to think. I wish they'd stop insulting out intelligence.
Comment by KP Saunt on October 15 17:44

Kind of off topic but jaffa cakes are cakes! Cakes go hard when they go off and biscuits go soft when they go off!
Comment by Charlotte on October 15 21:40