Kids Vitamins’ Misleading Claims Leads To Refunds Of $2.1 Million

December 15th, 2010 - 8:49 pm ICT by GD  

By Meena Kar
gummiesDec 15, (THAINDIAN NEWS) U.S. Federal Trade Commission has accused two brands under the NBTY Inc, for marketing their products using false and misleading claims. The FTC has asked all these companies to pay a refund of $2.1 million in restitution. The companies who have been charged with this allegation are NatureSmart LLC and Rexall Sundown, both of which, are subsidiaries of NBTY.

According to their charges, the companies were making false claims about content of DHA in their product. It is an Omega-3 fatty acid that the company claimed to use in its Disney line of products and Marvel Heroes-licensed children’s multivitamin gummies and tablets. These companies claimed that the regular use of these products would facilitate healthy brain and eye development in children. However, the FTC has alleged that these claims are unproved and unsupported. The packaging of the product highlighted the generous content of DHA in the product, but according to FTC, the amount is rather meager. The companies assured that its regular use would supplement 100 milligrams of DHA, while they were countered by the FTC who said that it contains only one thousandth of that claimed amount, which is only 0.1 mg.

The final settlement between FTC, NBTY, Nature Smart and Rexall Sundown states that the companies have to stop misrepresenting the uses of these components. In case they do, they have to back it up with competent and reliable scientific evidence. In case they violate this term, they might be subjected to civil penalties. The FTC is also about to conduct a refund program, whereby, they will distribute the $2.1 million to purchasers.

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