UK watchdog deems Coca Cola’s ‘nutritious’ claim in ad misleading

UK advertising watchdog has ruled against Coca Cola's Vitaminwater brand after it found that the product, claimed as 'nutritious' by the beverage brand, contains 23g of sugar.

A poster campaign for Vitaminwater had used the words, ''enhanced hydration for the nation delicious and nutritious'', which the ad body has deemed as misleading. It has ruled against the advertisement being used in its current form.

Coca Cola whilst admitting that its 500ml drink contained 23g of sugar justified its 'nutritious' labeling by saying that the drink contained ''meaningful quantities of four B-vitamins and vitamin C.''

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) noted that Vitaminwater did indeed contain lower amounts of added sugar per 100 ml than some other drinks.

But it said the 500ml bottle (containing equivalents of four or five teaspoons of added sugar) constitutes more than a quarter of the daily recommended sugar intake, which the consumers would take to be a single serving.

''We considered that consumers would understand the word 'nutritious' in the context of the ad as a claim that Vitaminwater contained added ingredients that were needed by the body in order to stay healthy. However, we considered that they would not expect a 'nutritious' drink to have the equivalent of four or five teaspoons of added sugar.''

ASA is UK's independent watchdog committed to maintaining high standards in advertising for the benefit of consumers, advertisers and society at large.