LITTLE MARAIS, Minn., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) sent a letter to California's Attorney General Bill Lockyer, urging his office to probe misleading advertising practices by Johnson & Johnson for its artificial sweetener Splenda.

OCA said that J&J's marketing campaign, which repeatedly uses the word "sugar" and the phrase "made from sugar," aims to confuse consumers into believing that this artificial substance is natural or contains sugar. The OCA supports clear, truthful labeling and advertising and it is clear that J&J's marketing campaign fails to follow these goals. OCA has called on California's attorney general to compel J&J to put an end to this marketing and provide California consumers with complete and accurate product information.

Ronnie Cummins, OCA's campaign director, sent the following letter, dated November 2, to California's Attorney General Bill Lockyer:
On behalf of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), I urge your office to launch an investigation into the misleading marketing campaign being conducted by Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Nutritionals for its artificial sweetener, Splenda. The company's marketing campaign, which repeatedly uses the word "sugar" and the phrase "made from sugar," aims to confuse consumers into believing that this artificial substance is natural or contains sugar. The OCA supports clear, truthful labeling and advertising and it is clear that J&J's marketing campaign fails to follow these goals.

J&J knows that consumers are increasingly mindful of the chemicals they ingest. Through its misleading advertising, J&J is trying to cash in on this healthful trend by misleading the general public -- and California consumers - - into believing that Splenda is naturally occurring. But the truth is Splenda isn't natural. It is made through a chemical process that involves toxic chemicals.

The OCA is a grassroots non-profit public interest organization campaigning for organic, healthy foods and sustainable agriculture. The OCA is the only organization in the US focused exclusively on the views and interests of the nation's estimated 30 million organic consumers, representing over 600,000 members, subscribers and volunteers and hundreds of companies in the natural marketplace.

By using these confusing marketing techniques and continually using the word "sugar" in its advertising, J&J is hurting family farmers across the country and in California who can't compete with chemically enhanced food products masquerading as natural products. As a state with its own organic program, the California Department of Food and Agriculture's State Organic Program (SOP), Californians understand the importance of being truthful to consumers. In fact, the SOP's purpose is to "protect producers, handlers, processors, retailers and consumers of organic foods sold in California by enforcing labeling laws relating to 'organic' claims for fresh agricultural products."

We are concerned to learn that many consumers are being taken in by J&J's confusing, misleading ads. These consumers truly believe that Splenda is natural and contains sugar. A survey by the Center for Science in the Public Interest discovered that almost half of all Americans are under the impression that Splenda is a natural product. Moreover, Splenda has grabbed about 37% of the sweetener market.

OCA has been concerned about Splenda's confusing advertising for many months. In February, OCA formally complained to the Federal Trade Commission's Division of Advertising Practices about J&J's effort to deceive consumers. The FTC, unfortunately, has declined to get involved in this critical issue.

We therefore urge the California office of the Attorney General to fully investigate whether there is any basis for J&J to claim that Splenda is a natural product containing sugar. If, as we believe, there is no basis for these claims, the OCA calls on your office to compel J&J to put an end to this marketing and provide California consumers with complete and accurate product information.

Source: Organic Consumers Association