Nivea fined for claiming skin cream caused weight loss
Posted by Tracy in Consumer Headlines, Safety/ Recalls and has No CommentsThe maker of Nivea skin creams has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges of false advertising by claiming one of its skin creams helps consumers melt away excess pounds.
The settlement prohibits Beiersdorf Inc. from promoting its My Silhouette! skin cream to consumers as a weight-loss treatment and requires the company to fork over $900,000 to the FTC.
“The real skinny on weight loss is that no cream is going to help you fit into your jeans,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said in a statement. “The tried-and-true formula for weight loss is diet and exercise.”
The FTC’s complaint accused Beiersdorf of hoodwinking consumers by claiming regular applications of Nivea My Silhouette! cream to their skin would actually reduce their body size. Beiersdorf marketed the “weight loss” skin cream in nationwide TV ads and via sponsored search results on Google, both of which hyped the cream’s “Bio-slim Complex,” a combination of ingredients, including anise and white tea, that somehow helps people slim down.
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