Choice says that allowing sports drinks to carry health claims will mislead consumers into believing that sports drinks are generally a healthy option.
The call comes as Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) runs a public consultation process into whether electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade should be able to carry health claims
“Sports drinks can help elite athletes but they aren’t designed for everyday use. Yet drinks like Gatorade and Powerade are marketed and sold to everyone,” said Choice spokesperson Tom Godfrey.
“Rules about health claims were introduced last year to stop situations where you had clearly unhealthy products like sweets and chocolates making claims that they were 99 per cent fat free. There’s extensive research showing that any specific health claim gives a product a ‘halo effect’ and people believe the product is healthier overall.
“People should have the confidence that if a product has a health claim, then it is a healthier product. Creating a loophole for sports drinks is a backwards step,” Godfrey said.
“We are calling on FSANZ to put the consumer first and not to proceed with these changes.”
