As featured in AdNews magazine, Watchdog is that mighty defender of consumers against BS marketing and advertising claims.
This week Watchdog goes up against Only Organic, whose packaging promotes 'organic' food for kids one to five years old.
Snack products targeted at babies as young as six months may claim to be fruit-filled, nutritious and organic, but tests have found not all munchies are as healthy as they appear and organic labelling can confuse parents of the true nutritional value of the foods. Watchdog is here to sniff out the BS.
AdNews: Are your Yoghurt Kindy Rice Cakes a healthy snack to feed my children?
Only Organic: Yes, they are a healthy option when compared to biscuits and other snacks, which are high in sugar. Everything is to be eaten in moderation.
AdNews: But the rice cakes have cane sugar and butter listed as ingredients. Is this bad for my kids?
Only Organic: Yes, there are sugars but they are gluten free and organic so that makes them suitable.
AdNews: So being organic may affect the nutritional value?
Only Organic: No. Organic is a principle meaning there are no chemicals or insecticides. It won’t affect the sugar or fat levels.
AdNews: Do you think the ‘certified organic’ label on the packaging can be confusing for mums?
Only Organic: Possibly. It’s about everything in moderation. You can still feed them to your children as long as you are considerate of the amount.
Final reckoning
The ‘Only Organic’ rice cake packaging paints a different picture to the actual product. With the ‘organic’ labelling and images of fresh fruit, it is clear how parents are being misled in the grocery aisle. While the product doesn’t make any false claims, it perpetuates a healthier product through the use of language and images. This watchdog recommends parents read the back of the packet closely before feeding anything to their young pups.
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