upnorthkyosa
29th March 2007, 02:13 PM
Generations of Australian and New Zealand children have been raised on Ribena, because that nice lady on telly told them the blackcurrants in the purple stuff contained four times the vitamin C of oranges.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/health/ribena-to-withdraw-vitamin-c-claims/2007/03/21/1174153159423.html
High school students Anna Devathasan and Jenny Suo tested the children's drink against advertising claims that "the blackcurrants in Ribena have four times the vitamin C of oranges" in 2004. Instead, the two found the syrup-based drink contained almost no trace of vitamin C, and one commercial orange juice brand contained almost four times more than Ribena.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/schoolgirls-find-theres-no-c-in-ribena/2007/03/27/1174761419393.html
One of the things I like about stories like this is that they highlight a really important strength that young people bring to the world: their lack of the kind of defeatism that adults, knocked around a bit by life (and other people), often develop, the idea that you can't win, you can't fight City Hall, and so on. It wouldn't occur to too many people even in their 30s, let alone older, that individuals could take on these behemoths and win; we've all been disappointed too many times, in things great and small. How many times have you heard people say, shrugging, `Well, money talks' and suchlike? But for these kids, you just go ahead and do it—you take'em on. It's such a different mind set... one we desperately need a lot more of!
On the other hand, speaking from experience, here in America they'd have been sued or prosecuted under the Food Disparagement laws that exist in about thirty States. Seriously.
But they struck a small blow for truth in a world ruled by the manipulators.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/health/ribena-to-withdraw-vitamin-c-claims/2007/03/21/1174153159423.html
High school students Anna Devathasan and Jenny Suo tested the children's drink against advertising claims that "the blackcurrants in Ribena have four times the vitamin C of oranges" in 2004. Instead, the two found the syrup-based drink contained almost no trace of vitamin C, and one commercial orange juice brand contained almost four times more than Ribena.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/schoolgirls-find-theres-no-c-in-ribena/2007/03/27/1174761419393.html
One of the things I like about stories like this is that they highlight a really important strength that young people bring to the world: their lack of the kind of defeatism that adults, knocked around a bit by life (and other people), often develop, the idea that you can't win, you can't fight City Hall, and so on. It wouldn't occur to too many people even in their 30s, let alone older, that individuals could take on these behemoths and win; we've all been disappointed too many times, in things great and small. How many times have you heard people say, shrugging, `Well, money talks' and suchlike? But for these kids, you just go ahead and do it—you take'em on. It's such a different mind set... one we desperately need a lot more of!
On the other hand, speaking from experience, here in America they'd have been sued or prosecuted under the Food Disparagement laws that exist in about thirty States. Seriously.
But they struck a small blow for truth in a world ruled by the manipulators.