Wake-up warning for big brands: [1 All-round Country Edition]
Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 30 Oct 2007: 3.
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Abstract
Top prize went to Japanese firm Takeda Pharmaceuticals for producing a sleeping pill, Rozerem, targeted at children. The tablets were marketed in the US under the tagline “Back to School” but the advertising did not mention the health warnings that state: “Further study is needed prior to determining that this product may be used safely in pre-pubescent and pubescent patients.”
“Our bottom line is we are campaigning for international restrictions on unhealthy foods for kids under 16,” Mr [Christopher Zinn] said. “We wanted to highlight the failings of corporate responsibility and the abuses of consumer trust in well-known brands.”
Toy manufacturers Mattel, which has had several recalls of its products in Australia over concerns about lead-based paint, received an award for “stonewalling US congressional investigations and avoiding overall responsibility for the ongoing global recall of 21 million products”.
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SLEEPING pills for children, tap water masquerading as mineral water, toys with dangerous levels of lead in their paint and sugar- laden breakfast cereals all got a guernsey last night as winners of the World’s Worst Products Award.
The dubious honours were presented as part of the Consumers International conference being held in Sydney this week, and aim to highlight alleged failings of corporate responsibility and abuse of consumer trust by internationally recognised brands.
The conference brought together 220 consumer organisations from 115 countries.
Some of the nominated products are not available in Australia, but among the winners were household names such as Kellogg‘s, Coca- Cola and Mattel.
Top prize went to Japanese firm Takeda Pharmaceuticals for producing a sleeping pill, Rozerem, targeted at children. The tablets were marketed in the US under the tagline “Back to School” but the advertising did not mention the health warnings that state: “Further study is needed prior to determining that this product may be used safely in pre-pubescent and pubescent patients.”
Consumers International claimed the company had taken advantage of lax US regulation to market the pills, despite concerns over their safety.
Other “winners” were Coca-Cola, for continuing international marketing of its Dasani bottled water, despite the outcry in Britain after revelations it was nothing more than tap water.
Kellogg‘s got a mention for the worldwide use of cartoon-type characters and product tie-ins aimed at children, despite high levels of sugar and salt in their food products.
Australian Consumers Association spokesman Christopher Zinn said that in this country, the Kellogg‘s Shrek promotion of green Fruit Loops, which has a very high percentage of sugar, was as irresponsible as any of the company’s campaigns anywhere in the world.
“Our bottom line is we are campaigning for international restrictions on unhealthy foods for kids under 16,” Mr Zinn said. “We wanted to highlight the failings of corporate responsibility and the abuses of consumer trust in well-known brands.”
A spokeswoman for Kellogg‘s said the company globally announced changes in June to its marketing practices, which meant foods would no longer be advertised to children unless they met an internal nutrient criteria.
“This will also affect which products can participate in promotions and have toys in boxes,” she said.
“It is disappointing Consumers International do not have the latest up-to-date information on what Kellogg‘s have done.”
Toy manufacturers Mattel, which has had several recalls of its products in Australia over concerns about lead-based paint, received an award for “stonewalling US congressional investigations and avoiding overall responsibility for the ongoing global recall of 21 million products”.
Some 30 Mattell products, including five Barbie play sets, have been recalled in Australia since August due to the lead levels in their paint being over the legal limit.