Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council Recommends Morinda Discontinue Certain Earnings and Health-Related Product Performance Claims

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McLean, VA – March 09, 2022 – The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) of BBB National Programs recommended that certain product performance and earnings claims made by Morinda, Inc. and its salesforce be discontinued. 

The inquiry was commenced by DSSRC through its ongoing independent monitoring of advertising and marketing claims in the direct selling industry. The claims that were the subject of the inquiry were disseminated by Morinda and its salesforce members on social media as well as on the company website. Morinda is a multi-level direct selling company that sells various personal care products, essential oils, and dietary supplements, including its main product, a noni juice blend sold under the brand name Tahitian Noni.

Product Claims include, but are not limited to:

• “Noni is a tropical fruit that provides a number of health benefits. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reports that Noni has antifungal and antitumor properties, has been suggested for potential use for prevention of atherosclerosis and a number of other health benefits.”
• (Spanish language post) – “Benefits of Moni Morinda: Helps Prevent Cancer, Helps Control Diabetes, Helps control Arthritis, Helps with Depression, fatigue and low energy.”
• “Would you like to prevent cancer, have better skin, reduce inflammation, boost your immune system & have more energy”
• (Spanish language post) “Benefits and Preventions when consuming Tahitian Noni juice: (including but not limited to) fibromyalgia; pre-menstrual syndrome; allergies; arthritis; respiratory problems; chronic fatigue; hypertension; depression, improves skin, heart disease.”

Earnings claims include, but are not limited to:

• “MORINDA LIFE OFFERS FINANCIAL FREEDOM.” 
• “Morinda’s secure, reliable, proven compensation system has allowed hundreds, THOUSANDS, of people to retire early, pursue dreams, pay off houses, send kids to college, take that dream vacation, or just give some extra breathing room every month. It’s all thanks to the true residual income only offered through Morinda. Your financial freedom-however you define it- is our goal. Whether you want a few hundred bucks a month for some extra spending money, or a few hundred thousand so you can retire early, Morinda has the plan and the system in place that will help you get there.”
• Depiction of Morinda salesforce members holding large checks for one million dollars
• There were also various messages of financial freedom communicated at https://morinda.com/en-vn/opportunity. 

As noted in previous DSSRC cases, health-related claims must be supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence, as defined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). DSSRC informed Morinda of its concern that these product claims may convey unsubstantiated health-related and wellness benefits. Morinda did not contest DSSRC’s concerns. 

Regarding the earnings claims, DSSRC informed Morinda of its concern that a reasonable consumer may interpret these and similar claims to mean that salesforce members can earn significant income from the Morinda business opportunity. Morinda did not contest DSSRC’s concerns. 

DSSRC requested that Morinda immediately remove all social media posts and website language indicating that its products are efficacious against the stated health-related conditions as well as the challenged claims that salesforce members will receive significant income from the Morinda business opportunity. 

While DSSRC appreciated the company’s commitment to having the challenged content removed, and good faith effort to remove most social media posts from circulation, DSSRC remained concerned that certain social media post take-down requests were unsuccessful. DSSRC recommended that if the salesforce members responsible for the remaining posts are currently active Morinda salesforce members and have continued to be unresponsive to such requests, Morinda should initiate steps to either suspend or terminate the business relationship with those individuals.  

Should DSSRC continue to identify social media posts or website language that include claims such as the health-related and earnings claims outlined in this case, it will commence a compliance inquiry with Morinda to evaluate the appropriate steps that have been taken to ensure that such claims are discontinued.

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For full text of DSSRC decisions, visit the DSSRC Cases and Closures webpage.

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About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs is where businesses turn to enhance consumer trust and consumers are heard. The non-profit organization creates a fairer playing field for businesses and a better experience for consumers through the development and delivery of effective third-party accountability and dispute resolution programs. Embracing its role as an independent organization since the restructuring of the Council of Better Business Bureaus in June 2019, BBB National Programs today oversees more than a dozen leading national industry self-regulation programs, and continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-directed marketing, and privacy. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.

About the Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council: The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC), a division of BBB National Programs, provides independent, impartial monitoring, dispute resolution, and enforcement of false product claims and income representations made by direct selling companies and their salesforce members across digital platforms. The DSSRC seeks to establish high standards of integrity and business ethics for all direct selling companies in the marketplace.