Jenny Craig fined $37,800 for misleading ads
Jenny Craig has been fined AU$37,800 in Australia for misleading consumers in television advertisements featuring Mel B.
The former Spice Girl singer featured in a series of ads for Jenny Craig as an ambassador to the program.
The adverts, which ran from December 2017 to February 2018, promoted the line that people could lose up to 10kg of weight for a $10 program fee.
But the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issued three infringement notices, noting that the weight loss firm failed to disclose customers also had to purchase food at an additional cost.
ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said they were “concerned” the ads may have misled consumers into thinking they could lose 10kg for just $10.
“In reality customers would have had to spend far more than that,” she said.
The ad also featured someone employed by the business, not an independent reviewer.
“Businesses need to be transparent about any relationships with people providing a testimonial,” Ms Court said.
“Consumers must be informed when a testimonial is given by someone who is employed by the business, and is not an independent reviewer.”
Mel B is promoted as a success story on Jenny Craig, after she lost 16kg in five months.
“After various attempts at different fad diets Mel B joined Jenny Craig,” the ad promotes.
“In the five months that she was on the Jenny Craig Program she successfully lost 16kgs and reached her goal weight.”