Watchdog weighs into slimming advertisement

A television advertisement offering a weight-loss programme for $7 a week was pulled off the air after would-be slimmers found they had to splash out more than $100 a week.

The Jenny Craig ad, which screened daily on TV One, was ruled misleading by the Advertising Standards Complaints Board.

It featured a Jenny Craig client called Nichola saying she had lost 8kg in 11 weeks.

A verbal offer at the end said: "Try Jenny Craig's winter turnaround for just $7 weekly." On-screen text repeated the offer, adding: "Conditions apply. Food additional. Kilojoule-controlled program. Whole program paid in full based on recommended weight-loss time frame." It also featured an 0800 number and website address.

A viewer who complained to the board said the ad was misleading because the cost was higher.

" phoned their 0800 number. It turns out the amount is more than $100 per week. You have to pay for the three meals and snack per day, which is part of the weight-loss programme. The computer works out ... the total weeks needed to reach your goal. You have to pay up front the whole amount, which can be several hundred dollars.

"If there is any small print at all, it is either so small and/or by the time you have read the main contents and take note of the 0800 number, the advertisement has gone."

In a majority decision, the board upheld the complaint, finding the ad was likely to mislead the consumer by omission.

It said the text "food additional" could have been clearer. The Television Commercial Approvals Bureau said the advertisement had since been modified.

Jenny Craig said: "It is not our intention to mislead ... We sincerely apologise to the complainant for their interpretation."