Vitamin Water Revealed as Non-Healthy Beverage by Coca-Colas

Question: Discuss about the Essay for Vitamin Water Revealed as Non-Healthy Beverage by Coca-Colas. Answer: 1). According to the video, Coca Cola advertises that Vitamin Water will give people protection similar to exercise or flu shots. Discuss whether this is deceptive advertising or mere promotion. Answer: Vitamin water is a misnomer as accurately this should be labeled as sugar water, This is because, the two main ingredients of this are water and sugar (which is linked to host of health issues). Besides these, Vitamin water has dose of synthetic vitamin chemicals which are not advisable and any informed customer would like to refrain from consuming these. Hence, the vitamins in this water are artificial and nowhere close to natural vitamins in terms of utility (Adams, 2010). As a result, I am of the firm opinion that the company resorts to deceptive advertisement to cash on the customers ignorance. In the name of a healthy vitamin drink, the company in actuality is providing the customers with sugar water which in the long term would lead to health issues such as obesity and diabetes. Through the prudent use of deceptive advertisement, the company is able to associate the consumption of this product with happiness and health but in actuality sustained consumption is associated with suffering (Schultz, 2005). Also, equating these drinks with exercise or flu shots is preposterous since this claim has no backing of any independent and reputed health agency. Clearly, this is nowhere close to the reality and in actuality consumption of plain water is considered to be healthier than vitamin water (Adams, 2010). 2). Vitamin Water responds to the claim by stating that the ingredients are clearly on the label. Discuss whether manufacturers have any duty to warn the public about their products or whether the law should adopt the idea of buyer beware so that consumers read the labels. Answer: In USA, the product liability litigation has made rapid strides and thereby augers well for consumer protection. The law is currently in the favor of the buyer as the liability of defects lies on the manufacturer. However, the manufacturers cry soul over this shift as they argue that this has led to higher litigation costs which have escalated the overall product costs. They have asked for alterations in the law to limit this liability to reasonable levels (Grubb and Howells,2000) The liability of the manufacturer should be limited to only those cases when there is negligence on part of the manufacturer which potentially causes harm to the consumers. Further, the seller also provides certain product warranties which it is legally obliged to fulfill. Additionally, during sales promotion and advertising false claims may be made about the produce and the potential health hazards may be hidden. Any misrepresentation by the seller should be punishable provided the plaintiff can prove that purchase decision was taken on that basis (Kurer et. al., 2002). .The manufacturer on their part should not be negligent and should disclose all ingredients and their nutritional value without using any deceptive advertisement. The government on their part need to educate the consumers with regards to healthy choices of products and the consumers should inculcate these in their buying behavior (Schultz, 2005).. 3). Near the end of the video clip, the health and medical editor states that washing hands and drinking water will keep one healthier than most of the health products on the market. Should Congress or the states be more assertive about regulating products based on health issues or is that too much like big brother watching? Answer: Yes, it is expected that more regulation of products need to be done considering the implications of wrong choices. The government standards and policies need to be suitably amended so as to enhance the regulation of various manufacturers of edible products (Schultz, 2005).. In this regards, the incidence of deceptive advertisement without any independent claims need to be curbed. The advertisement particularly needs regulation so that unverified claims cannot be made at the expense of public health (Kurer et. al., 2002). The assertion by the health and medical editor is true and it is imperative that the consumer should not fall in the trap of fake marketing gimmicks built by these corporations. More research should be done on these products by the consumer using internet and product queries can also be raised so as to know if the claim is backed by any independent agency of repute. Reference Adams, M. (August, 2010). Vitamin water revealed as non-healthy beverage by Coca-Cola's own lawyers (opinion). Retrieved on 8th August 2016 from https://www.naturalnews.com/029425_vitaminwater_Coca-Cola.html Grubb, A. and Howells, G.G. (2000), The Law of Product Liability, Sydney: Butterworths Kurer, M., Codoni, S.,Gunther, S., Never. J.S. and The, L .(2002), Warranties and Disclaimers, Limitation of Liability in Consumer Related Transactions, New York: Kluwer Law International Schultz, H.W. (2005), Food Law Hand book, Connecticut: The Avi Publishing Company