The makers of Ribena have admitted they may have misled Australian consumers about the Vitamin C content of their drinks, a week before they are due in court in New Zealand on similar charges.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said Glaxosmithkline Australia admitted it may have misledconsumers in two ways:
* Claiming on the panel of Ribena Ready to Drink fruit drinks that it contained more Vitamin C than it actually had;
* Implying when saying on its Ribena syrup containers that "the blackcurrants in Ribena contain four times the Vitamin C of oranges" that Ribena drinks when properly diluted contained four times the Vitamin C of comparable orange juice products when this was not correct.
"It has self-reported the discrepancies to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and provided court-enforceable undertakings," ACCC Chairman Graeme Samuel said.
"It is extremely important that companies use appropriate calculation methods when making claims about the contents of food or beverage products, especially when those claims relate to nutrition."
Glaxosmithkline Australia agreed it would only make claims about Ribena drinks that could be properly substantiated, place notices on its websites about the admissions in shops and its website, and make changes to its trade practices law compliance programme.
It also agreed to publish an article on the importance of being accurate when making representations to consumers.
Glaxosmithkline is due to appear in Auckland District Court next week facing similar allegations.
A spokeswoman for the Commerce Commission in New Zealand said no comment would be made on the Australian admission while the New Zealand case was before the courts.
