Food Marketing Service: Follow FDA Guidelines

Recently, Campbell Soup Co. was sued for allegedly providing false information on their tomato soup label.  Four women in New Jersey sued the company because they say the misleading label fooled them. On one Campbell's tomato soup label it read, "25% less sodium," while also increasing the price of the soup. Naturally, the women thought that this was a sodium decrease from the original Campbell's tomato soup. But this was not the case. There was no change in the tomato soups. The two cans had about the same amount of sodium, but one was more expensive than the other. This misleading and false marketing tactic got them into big trouble with FDA guidelines.

According to Ad Age, Campbell said "it has confidence in the accuracy of [their] labels" and that they "no longer produce the 25% less sodium product and have retrieved [it] as much as possible from the market."

Now that Campbell has been caught for this FDA guideline violation it opens up the question of whether other food and beverage packaging/labels have used the same tactic. Eager class action lawyers are on the lookout. Gone are the days when exaggerated claims can be made on labels. Consumers and lawyers are not waiting on government action but instead have launched class action suits against Dannon, Wrigley, McDonald's and Campbell Soup Co. to name a few. It's important to make sure your packaging correctly reflects what is in the package, or in this case, the can.

To read more about this case check out the article by E.J. Schultz in Advertising Age's May 9, 2011 magazine issue, or go to adage.com.