Conscious Foods - "Honesty" and "Integrity"

I feel sorry for sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

As well as living with an incurable (though treatable) condition, they have to suffer the advances of innumerable snake-oil salesmen. When it comes to inventing health claims for one's products, IBS always seems to be top of the list.

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Conscious Foods describe themselves as

"...an Indian organic food company producing hand baked [sic], artisan snacks..."

The company list their core values on their website, which amusingly include

"... we promise to operate with honesty, integrity and fairness in everything we do."

Alas, this "honesty" and "integrity" doesn't seem to extend as far as their customers. The company's trade show flyer (available here and here) makes some impressive health claims through two testimonials:

"After taking digestive mix for a week, my IBS has vanished." - Lizzie B

"My acid indigestion disappeared within a day and I've lost 4lbs in just 2 weeks." - Lindsay S

By my count, that's at least six breaches of the UK advertising codes in just two sentences.

Oh, and the company have illegitimately registered their UK website as belonging to a non-trading individual. So much for "honesty"! ASA complaint follows.

"I write to complain about a flyer I picked up at the CamExpo exhibition in London on 24th October this year.

The flyer, for Conscious Food, promotes their "Ayurvedic Digestive Mix" food supplements.

I suspect that the flyer may be in breach of six sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP Code). I can provide the original flyer by post, if necessary.

1. (i) The front side of the flyer contains the text:

"DO YOU SUFFER FROM: Bloating/Wind - Indigestion - Acid - Heartburn - IBS - Constipation"

(ii) Each of the named conditions is preceded by a tick, presumably implying the product can help with them.

2. The text is supported by two testimonials:

"After taking digestive mix for a week, my IBS has vanished." - Lizzie B

"My acid indigestion disappeared within a day and I've lost 4lbs in just 2 weeks." - Lindsay S

3. (i) Under Sections 15.1 and 15.7 of the CAP Code (2010), I challenge whether the health claims for the named conditions (bloating, wind, indigestion, acid indigestion, heartburn, IBS, constipation and weight loss) are supported by documentary evidence.

(ii) Regarding the claim and testimonial for IBS, under Section 15.6.2, I challenge whether the flyer claims the product "...treats or cures human disease".

(iii) Under Section 15.6.6, I challenge whether the flyer refers to a "rate or amount of weight loss".

4. (i) Under Section 3.45, I challenge whether the advertisers hold documentary evidence that the testimonials are genuine.

(ii) Under Section 3.47, I challenge whether the claims in the testimonials for a cure for IBS, acid indigestion and weight loss of 2 lbs per week, which are presented as factually true, are likely to mislead the consumer.

5. I confirm I have no connections with the advertiser. I confirm I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser."