KEY POINTS:
Advertising ordered in last week's Ribena judgment will say that Ribena concentrate does contain vitamin C while admitting its makers made claims that may have misled the public.
GlaxoSmithKline was ordered in the Auckland District Court last week to place half-page corrective advertisements within the next 28 days in two Saturday editions of the Weekend Herald, Dominion Post, The Press and the Otago Daily Times.
The company and the Commerce Commission returned to court yesterday after failing to agree by Tuesday on the wording of the advertisements. But after 30 minutes in chambers with Judge Phil Gittos, the two parties emerged with an agreed wording.
The advertisements will admit that labelling on Ready To Drink Ribena was wrong to say the drink contained 7mg of vitamin C per 100ml when, in fact, it had no detectable vitamin C content.
It will also admit that television advertisements saying the blackcurrants in Ribena syrup had four times the vitamin C of oranges might have misled consumers into thinking Ribena products contained four times the vitamin C of orange juice drinks.
Ribena admitted charges relating to both these claims in court last week.
However, the advertisements will also say that the claims over Ribena ready-to-drink products "do not relate to the safety of these products" and that its concentrate products do contain vitamin C.
"To avoid further confusion, it is important for consumers to know that the Ribena concentrate (1 litre, 2 litre and 600ml) packs have always contained and still contain vitamin C. In respect of these products the vitamin C content stated on the pack is correct."
Estimates suggest the cost of the advertising will be close to $100,000.
A Commerce Commission spokeswoman said the wording agreed on yesterday was close to what the commission had been pushing for.
GlaxoSmithKline was also fined $217,500 by Judge Gittos after admitting 15 breaches of the Fair Trading Act.
The case was brought after a science experiment in 2004 by 14-year-old Pakuranga College schoolgirls Jenny Suo and Anna Devathasan raised questions about the vitamin C content in Ribena.
- NZPA
