Friday, 04 March 2011
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Nutella V. Consumer: Who is to Blame?
This will probably be the source of conflict for years to come. When it comes to obesity, poor health and misguided consumers, who is to blame? Is it the consumers fault for not reading labels? Or is it the fault of the distributor for making ambiguous claims?The most recent event is the lawsuit against everyone's beloved hazelnut spread: Nutella. Athena Hohenberg is suing Ferrero, the company that makes Nutella, for falsely advertising that the hazelnut spread is a healthy and nutritious breakfast.
In a situation like this, who is right?
On one hand, Hohenberg has a valid argument:Each serving of Nutella contains 21 grams of sugar and 50% calories comes from fat. What's more, chances are people consume more than the serving size since nobody really measures out 2 tablespoons of spread and let's face it--Nutella is delicious.
On the other hand, it only takes a pair of eyes to look into the nutrition label. Isn't it YOUR responsibility as a consumer to see what you're eating? You can argue that people can use the words "healthy" and "nutritious" relatively--the advertisers meant that Nutella is healthier and more nutritious than a breakfast sandwich at McDonalds.
In fact, Nutella can even stress that misleading advertising is everywhere. Perfume ads claim their scent is the best but you don't buy them blindly; you go to the store and you sniff it and make an educated decision. Why can't food consumers do the same?
Where do you stand on the Nutella battle? Team Nutella or Team "unaware" consumer?
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- From: sbaral@xanga
- About Me: I'm a Rutgers University graduate who discovered a passion for writing in college when I found myself enjoying researching for and writing papers instead of working at biology labs. In my spare time, I enjoy cooking and watching movies--I am in pursuit of learning to fluently speak French and Italian after developing an interest in these languages from watching foreign films. Apart from foreign films and cooking, my interests include photography, traveling, art history and interior design. twitter.com/sushbaral
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Comments (83)
There is no unaware consumer; there is only the ignorant consumer. If you do not follow the instructions/label and you have an adverse reaction, how can you turn around and blame the company? Perhaps nutella IS healthy in a small quantity and is a good PART of a BALANCED breakfast? The fact that people cannot moderate is no fault of the companies. You are responsible for you, ever since you were born and especially after you turned 18.
Cry me a river and go swim in it. No one to blame except yourself. I don't blame the company at all.
The problem is really that claims like something being the "best" is purely subjective; whereas saying something is nutritious and healthy is a relatively objective claim. We have standards for health and nutrition which should guide companies in their advertising.
Ignorant consumer is to blame for never taking a moment to turn the jar over and read the nutrition label.
Compared to a lot of things... this product IS healthy and nutritious. Their claims are correct.
Unless she somehow gained ALL her extra weight from this product... there's really no case, imo.I dunno. I'm pretty sure Nutella plus my whole wheat crispbread is one of the healthiest snacks I have in my college dorm room.
Plus, is it really even POSSIBLE for someone to eat so much NUTELLA--not any other product--that it makes them gain weight?
I've never tried Nutella.
I hate people who try to pull this sort of stuff. It's not even like the nutritional info is hidden or anything. People whine that the government is too controlling but then bitch that there aren't regulations that make them fully aware of every single thing. Mixed signals or what? We have free will and you should be capable to make our own decisions by informing yourself.
I'm team Nutella, not because I like it, but because you can't blame someone else for your ignorance. I mean she didn't get obese eating Nutella, she got obese by eating too many portions of other foods and not exercising.
Mmm, now I want some Nutella. On whole wheat bread, of course. ^.^
Team Nutella, people should learn to read the labels, they aren't there just to look pretty.
Well, people do have eyes...I'd assume they're mainly literate. At any rate, though, it's a sense of false advertisement...which unfortunately isn't cracked down on as much as it should be.
Most kids breakfast cereals are absolute garbage....but parents buy and feed it to their kids anyways.
Nutella is amazing, I would not sue.
Team Nutella. Why would you sue its delicious wonder?!?!
team nutella of course! i don't see how solely eating nutella can make you obese. Besides, its definitely healthier than a lot of stuff. as to kinamorata@xanga who's never tried nutella, go a buy a jar like right now. you wont regret it :)
Psssht. People need to learn to read the nutrition labels. You can say it is the "fault" of the manufacturer to produce an unhealthy product, but how hard is it to read a nutrition label? I generally do before I buy most things.
Don't get me wrong, I love Nutella. But it's one of those things you can't have every day. I don't know where she gets off trying to sue them for her personal irresponsibility.
Well, there are many products that are claimed healthy but over-consuming anything is never a good thing and really, it doesn't take much common sense to know that.
I just looked her up. California. That's just fucking awesome my state is filled with a bunch of ignorant, greedy, retards... why am I not surprised. I hope the judge tells her she's a fucking idiot. If she wins the case I'm going to move to Australia I'm not kidding.
@KageOokami@xanga - I get that. California is one of the states on my list to which I'll move only if dragged by a team of wild horses.
She has a point.
The Nutella ad really gives you the impression that it's a good, healthy breakfast product. I don't know, I read every single label on a product I don't know but I am also quite impressionable or whatever so when I see the ad we have (here in Europe) I still feel like: 'oh, I could eat that' .
Regardless though, you don't have to eat the whole friggin jar.
@haloed@xanga DITTO.
This is so similar to the McDonald's v. consumer battle. How arrogantly misguided to blame this all on nutella. We make dozens of decisions every day about what we eat and how much we eat. We can only blame ourselves. Nutella isn't the only option. McDonald's isn't the only option we CAN choose to eat healthily. But we don't. And that's OUR fault.
TEAM NUTELLA
I'm on Team Nutella as far as this goes. Like numerous posters above me mentioned, it's up to the consumer to regulate how much he/she is going to consume. You don't have to slather on an entire jar of the stuff--although very tempting--to get that yummy Nutella taste that you so crave. If the back of the jar says one tablespoon is enough, then go by that.
However, I'm not sure if the Nutella that everyone is talking about is legit Nutella or just an Americanized, overly processed version. Instead of getting the spread from a grocery store, I go to my local farmer's market to get it. The label and nutritional information is all in Polish (it's still the same label everyone recognizes), and it's only 80 calories and 8 grams of sugar per tablespoon and I believe little to no fat. I have no idea what they did to it here to make it like 200 calories and 21 grams of sugar...but I find that ludicrous.
@haloed@xanga - What she said.
Team Nutella. Everyone is repeating why so I wont do it.
It's like suing the company that makes fruit gummy treats for kids because you believe their a valid substitute for fruit.