Enviga pays to settle 27 claims
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Coca-Cola and Nestle settle with 26 states and the District of Columbia to resolve allegations that Enviga green tea's "implied weight-loss claims were scientifically weightless," Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says. Enviga labels, which previously said consuming three cans a day burned an extra 60 to 100 calories, now must clearly state that calorie elimination and weight loss require proper diet and exercise, according to the Feb. 26 release. Coca-Cola and Nestle will pay $650,000. In their Beverage Partnership Worldwide joint venture, the firms marketed Enviga as a weight-loss product based on a three-day study with 31 healthy 18- to 35-year-olds. The Center for Science in the Public Interest filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission about linking claims to the small study (1"The Tan Sheet" May 28, 2007, In Brief)
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The Center for Science in the Public Interest says Aug. 17 it will not pursue an appeal blocking a consumer's lawsuit over false claims made by Coca-Cola's Enviga weight-loss beverage. In a 2009 agreement with 27 states, the firm said it will remove weight-loss claims for the drink, add labeling that Enviga does not promote weight loss and pay a fine (1"The Tan Sheet," March 2, 2009, In Brief). Sales of the drink subsequently plummeted
FTC complaint filed over Enviga
The Center for Science in the Public Interest files a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission over weight-loss claims for Enviga May 21. "Enviga drinkers are being suckered into paying a premium for calorie-burning benefits they are not receiving," the complaint says. Coca-Cola/Nestle published a study to substantiate its product in February (1"The Tan Sheet" Feb. 19, 2007, In Brief). However, the study consisted of 31 lean subjects and lasted 72 hours. CSPI also filed suit against the companies in February in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (2"The Tan Sheet" Feb. 5, 2007, In Brief). The consumer group urges FTC to enjoin the companies from making further weight-loss claims regarding Enviga as well as to require a monetary penalty and corrective advertising. Coca-Cola and Nestle launched Enviga nationwide in January (3"The Tan Sheet" Oct. 23, 2006, p. 11)...