By: Mthobisi Nozulela – IOL

Liqui Fruit has been instructed to abandon its controversial slogan “Nothing But Fruit” after the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) appeals committee determined that the claim misled consumers regarding the contents of its juice products.

The ARB's conclusion followed a consumer complaint alleging that the slogan was deceptive, given that Liqui Fruit juices contain not just pure fruit but also added ingredients such as flavourants and preservatives.

In its defence, Liqui Fruit maintained that "Nothing But Fruit™" was a long-standing brand trademark intended to convey a hyperbolic message rather than a literal representation of the product's ingredients.

The company argued that a reasonable consumer would not interpret the expression in a stringent context considering it pertains to long-life fruit juice.

The ARB responded by explaining, “In relation to 'Nothing But Fruit™', the Advertiser explained that the term is a long-established brand trademark which is used in hyperbolic sense. A reasonable consumer would not interpret this literally in the context of a long-life fruit juice.”

Furthermore, the ARB addressed additional claims related to local sourcing, refuting Liqui Fruit's assertion that it did not use the phrase “Sourced From Local Farms.” Instead, the committee clarified that evidence cited in this context pertained to another product from the same company, Ceres.

Therefore, any references to local sourcing were only indicative of a general commitment to local procurement, without suggesting that all products met this criterion.

Despite the ruling against its slogan, the ARB upheld Liqui Fruit's right to label its products as “100% fruit juice,” asserting that negligible amounts of legally allowed additives do not invalidate this claim.

However, the committee mandated that the company must either revise or completely remove the “Nothing But Fruit” slogan from its promotional materials across all platforms.

The final decision states, “The Advertiser is instructed to remove or amend the claim 'Nothing But Fruit' from its Advertisement and to withdraw the term from every medium in which it appears.”

This directive aligns with Clause 15.5 of the Procedural Guide of the Code, which aims to safeguard consumer interests by promoting truthful advertising.

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