Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council Recommends Root Wellness Discontinue Certain Health-Related Product Claims in Compliance Inquiry

For Immediate Release
Contact: Abby Hills, Director of Communications, BBB National Programs

703.247.9330 / press@bbbnp.org

McLean, VA – July 26, 2022 – The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) of BBB National Programs opened a compliance inquiry to review advertising communicated by Root Wellness LLC that had been the subject of an inquiry from 2021. In this compliance inquiry, DSSRC identified four claims challenged in the 2021 inquiry that are still publicly accessible, as well as 29 new health-related claims, among other issues. 

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). In the 2021 inquiry, DSSRC recommended that the unsubstantiated claims, made by Root Wellness salesforce members, be discontinued. At the time, Root Wellness contended that the claims had been removed from circulation. 

In identifying these claims, which appeared in social media posts and are still publicly accessible, DSSRC also reviewed new health-related claims similar to those made in the 2021 inquiry, including claims that Root Wellness’ products can treat several serious health-related conditions such as shingles, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, certain cancers, gout, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and others. 

Though Root Wellness has again claimed that the social media posts from the 2021 inquiry as well as the 29 new posts have been or will be taken down, they have not provided any evidence of their efforts to have the salesforce members responsible for the claims remove them from circulation, such as copies of correspondence asking them to remove the posts from social media. 

If Root Wellness does not remove the claims from circulation or provide evidence of a good faith effort to remove the claims within a reasonable period of time, DSSRC will refer this matter to the appropriate government agency. In addition, DSSRC will continue to monitor claims made by Root Wellness and its salesforce. 

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

Latest Decisions

Decision

National Advertising Division Recommends MacuHealth Discontinue or Modify Certain Claims for Several Brands of Eye Health Dietary Supplements

New York, NY – September 21, 2023 – In a challenge brought by Vision Elements, the National Advertising Division (NAD) recommended that MacuHealth modify or discontinue certain claims for its dietary supplement products.  

Read the Decision Summary
Decision

National Advertising Division Refers Advertising by SBLA Beauty to the Federal Trade Commission for Review for Failure to Participate

New York, NY – September 21, 2023 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) has referred advertising claims made by SBLA Beauty, Inc. to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after the company failed to provide a substantive response to NAD’s inquiry.    

Read the Decision Summary
Decision

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

McLean, VA – August 31, 2023 – The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) recommended that Zallevo modify or discontinue certain earnings and health-related product performance claims, including claims regarding treating serious health-related conditions. 

Read the Decision Summary
Decision

Privacy Watchdog Brings Temu into Compliance with Digital Advertising Privacy Best Practices

McLean, VA – August 29, 2023 - The Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP) brought WhaleCo into compliance with the DAA Principles. Since beginning U.S. operations in September 2022, Shanghai-based WhaleCo’s mobile application, Temu, has quickly risen to become one of the top downloaded free apps. 

Read the Decision Summary