The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) has partially upheld a consumer complaint against Pioneer Foods’ Liqui-Fruit brand, finding that its claim about sourcing fruit “only from local farms” is misleading and must be amended.
The advertiser said the tag was pulled from the website and not meant for public use, arguing that “the inescapable conclusion is that the complainant has actively sought out the complaint, which would make the complaint vexatious".
The 'ad' pulled from the website.
They also explained that the phrase “Nothing But Fruit” has been part of Liqui-Fruit’s brand identity for decades and is a registered trademark. It reflects the nature of the product as a long-life fruit juice, which differs from fresh or short-shelf juice that requires refrigeration.
The ARB found that while Liqui-Fruit’s use of phrases like “100% Fruit Juice” and “Nothing But Fruit” may suggest purity, they comply with South African food and advertising regulations. These terms were found to be acceptable in the context of reconstituted juice made from concentrate, with small permitted additions such as citric acid and vitamin C.
However, the claim on the brand’s website that the fruit is sourced “only from local farms” could not be substantiated by the advertiser. The ARB ruled that this wording creates a reasonable consumer expectation that all fruit is locally sourced, which is not the case. As a result, Liqui-Fruit has been instructed to remove or amend the claim.
