Does the advertising promise too much? Learn to read the claims

After the festive season, dieting and exercise are popular. Fast results are wanted and people want to speed up weight loss. The advertising promises rapid weight loss. Is this true or not?

It is not always possible in practice for the authorities to get involved with all the products on the market or with the marketing of these products. Sometimes the manufacturer of the product hides behind a post office box, or the enterprise can be based outside Europe.

There is reason to be critical when the results promised by the product sound too good to be true in the advertising or on the labelling of the product. These types of promises are often given when marketing weight loss products, where fast results are promised as to the speed or amount of weight loss, without having to change lifestyle.

For example: “your weight will decrease by at least 3 kilos during the first 72 hours” or “you will lose weight, even if you eat and exercise as you have before”. Weight changes are most of all affected by lifestyle, such as diet and exercising habits. That is why a single product on its own can not affect how fast weight is lost or the amount of weight loss. Claims that indicate this are humbug and are prohibited by law.

It is worthwhile for the consumer to require exact information on the product’s composition when purchasing, even when ordering products by mail or via the internet.

When ordering products via the internet it is worth ensuring that the enterprise is real and for example that it openly gives the correct contact information. If the consumer feels cheated or becomes aware of marketing that can be considered to be humbug, he or she can report it to the food control authority of the municipality or to the consumer adviser. The contact details for the municipalities can be found on Evira’s Internet pages: http://www.evira.fi/portal/en/food/feedback_on_food/

More information on the subject:
Food supplements: http://www.evira.fi/portal/en/food/control_and_entrepreneurs/food_supplements/