News Consumer Group Says Vizzy Illegally Touting Health Claims with Addition of Vitamin C

The TTB has long prohibited any sort of health claim on alcohol packaging or advertising.  The Center for Science in the Public Interest and Consumer Federation of America have submitted a letter to the Food and Drug Administration requesting that they bring enforcement action against Molson Coors for illegally misleading consumers with its Vizzy Hard Seltzer labeling and advertising campaign.

The request is unusual because there is no specific health claim made by Vizzy but the consumer group is going after the reference that the beverage contains a “healthy” ingredient.

The issue that the CSPI and CFA are pointing to is the Vizzy advertising that touts the addition of vitamin C to the beverage. The letter states that “claims such as ‘made with antioxidant vitamin C’ convey healthfulness and are misleading on alcoholic beverages given their empty calories, association with serious health conditions, and anti-nutrient properties. Such claims may mislead consumers to believe alcoholic beverages are healthful sources of nutrients.”

A response from the FDA will be closely watched by the industry as it could further define what alcohol beverage manufactures are allowed – and not allowed, to say on the label and in advertising.

Full story here.

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