IP Office admits complaint against Coca Cola for confusing nutritional information

By Espinosa Bellido Abogados

The Consumer Protection Commission of the Peruvian IP and competition Office (Indecopi) admitted a complaint filed by the Consumer Protection Association of Peru (Aspec) against Coca-Cola and Corporación Lindley. The complaint states that Coca-Cola and Corporación Lindley (the official bottler and distributor of all Coca-Cola products in Peru) are misleading consumers by presenting different nutritional informations on its products.

"The nutritional labeling of Coca Cola contains confusing, contradictory and misleading information”, states a press release by Aspec related to the portions of sugar recommended by Coca-Cola in its Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite beverages. “In the 1.5 liter version of Coca-Cola two different nutritional labels coexist simultaneously in the market: one with a recommended portion of 240 milliliters, which implies an intake of 26 grams of sugar, and another one with a recommended portion of 200 milliliters, which implies an intake of 22 grams of sugar. Which of the two shall we believe?”, says Aspec.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), for adults a healthy diet contains less than 10% of total energy intake from free sugars, which is equivalent to 50 g (or around 12 level teaspoons) for a person of healthy body weight consuming approximately 2000 calories per day.

In a statement, Coca-Cola said that "the nutritional information provided to consumers is truthful and correct in all products, not having committed any infringement”.