United States - FTC Charges Gerber with Falsely Advertising That Its Good Start Gentle Formula Protects Infants from Developing Allergies
The FTC has charged Gerber Products Co. (also doing business as Nestlé Nutrition) with making deceptive claims that its Good Start Gentle Formula prevents or reduces the risk of infants developing allergies.In its complaint, the FTC alleged that Gerber has violated the FTC Act by making these claims without scientific substantiation.
The FTC also charged that Gerbers ads misrepresent that Good Start Gentle has qualified or received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make general allergy prevention health claims.In fact, the FDA only permitted Gerber to make a narrow, qualified claim regarding reduced risk of one type of allergy, atopic dermatitis. Gerber advertised its Good Start Gentle formula through advertisements that ran on television, in magazines, at point-of-sale displays, online, and in other promotional material.