The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that smoothies can now count as one of the recommended ‘five-a-day”.
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The ASA consulted with the Department of Health, Food Standards Agency and the British Nutrition Foundation after smoothie maker Innocent received a series of complaints about an advert claiming its drinks could count for two of the five a day.
The Department of Health guidance states that the number of five-a-day portions per smoothie depended on the quantity of fruits or amount of fruit juice used and how the smoothie had been manufactured.
As a result, the ASA today (16 September) declared that the non-dairy 250ml drinks do contain enough pulped fruit and juice to consist two of the recommended portions.
The watchdog said that each 250ml serving contained all the edible parts of the pulped fruit, contained a sufficient amount of edible fruit and of fruit juice, and, additionally, did not include a dairy product.
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By GlobalData“Because of that, we understood that a 250 ml portion from Innocent’s current smoothie range, could provide two portions of a persons 5-a-day. We therefore did not object to the claim and concluded the ad was not misleading,” the ASA concluded.
In a message on its website, Innocent said it “welcomed” the news from the ASA.
“This supports the Department of Health’s own guidelines published earlier this year also recognizing innocent smoothies can count for two of your five-a-day (along with agreeance from The Food Standards Agency and The British Nutrition Foundation),” the company said.
