GENERAL MILLS TO IMPROVE LABELS ON FRUIT ROLL-UPS

December 21st, 2012

With the school year in full force, parents are looking for healthy snacks to include in thier child’s lunch. Many snack products on the shelves today are geared towards children but also try to attract the more health conscious consumer by including on their labels “Made with Real Fruit” or “All Natural” ingredients. These include General Mills’ Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups. As the result of a lawsuit claiming deceptive advertising, General Mills has agreed to change the label on this snack so it will be less likely to lead consumers to believe the product is mostly or all fruit.

The box label for Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups says — “Made with Real Fruit” — but the roll-ups contain no strawberries! Instead they are made with pear concentrate, corn syrup, sugar, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, and 2 percent or less various natural and artificial ingredients. General Mills has agreed to remove depictions of strawberries from the box so long as the roll-ups do not contain strawberries. Additionally, if General Mills keeps the “Made with Real Fruit” claim on the box, it will also include the percentage of real fruit the product contains. The changes will come into effect in 2014.

Source: General Mills to Improve Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups Labeling, December 21, 2012

Written by Susan M. Coler.