BBB National Programs Decision Summaries

BBB National Programs provides summaries of all case decisions from the National Advertising Division (NAD), National Advertising Review Board (NARB), Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC), and Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP). Subscribe to receive a weekly wrap-up of published case decisions in your inbox.

 

For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the Online Archive. Other case decisions are available publicly: DSSRC and DAAP. For members of the press, the full text of any BBB National Programs decision is available by emailing the request to press@bbbnp.org.
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  • 9/23/2021 - Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council Recommends RootWellness Discontinue Certain Health-Related Product Performance Claims

    McLean, VA – September 23, 2021 – The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) recommended that certain product performance claims made by Root Wellness, LLC, a direct selling company that markets and distributes health and wellness nutritional supplement products, 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 Root Wellness on the company website and by salesforce members on social media. 

  • 9/16/2021 - National Advertising Division Finds Claim that Almased Diet and Weight Loss Program is “So Safe that Even People with Diabetes Can Use It” Supported

    New York, NY – September 16, 2021 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs determined that Almased USA, Inc.’s claim that its Almased Diet/Weight Loss Program is “. . . so safe that even people with diabetes can use it” was supported. During the proceeding, the advertiser permanently discontinued certain challenged claims, therefore NAD did not review these permanently discontinued claims on the merits. The claims at issue were challenged by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). 

  • 9/15/2021 - National Advertising Division Finds SlimFast “Energy For Hours” Claim Supported; Advertiser Appeals Recommendation to Discontinue “Clinically Proven” Claims

    New York, NY – September 15, 2021 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs determined that KSF Acquisition Corp. (SlimFast) provided a reasonable basis for its “energy for hours” claim for its SlimFast Food Products & Weight Loss Plans. However, NAD recommended that the advertiser discontinue certain "clinically proven" claims. The claims at issue, which appeared on the advertiser’s product labels, website, and app, were challenged by Simply Good Foods.

    • 9/15/2021 - Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council Recommends SwissJust Discontinue Certain Health-Related Product Performance and Earnings Claims

      McLean, VA – September 15, 2021 – The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) recommended that certain product performance and earnings claims made by SwissJust USA, a direct selling company that markets and distributes natural products for emotional, physical, and dermo-cosmetic well-being, and its salesforce be discontinued. Central to this inquiry was a concern that the challenged product performance claims communicated that SwissJust products can treat and protect against serious health-related conditions, including COVID-19.

    • 9/14/2021 - National Advertising Division Refers Advertising Claims for Gravity Defyer Shoes to Federal Trade Commission for Possible Enforcement Action

      New York, NY – September 14, 2021 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs is disappointed that Gravity Defyer Medical Technology Corporation declined to participate in the industry self-regulation process. As a result of the advertiser’s failure to participate, NAD has referred advertising claims for their Gravity Defyer shoes to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for review.

    • 9/09/2021 - Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council Recommends Globallee Discontinue Certain Health-Related Product Performance and Earnings Claims

      McLean, VA – September 9, 2021 – DSSRC recommended that certain product performance and earnings claims made by Globallee, Inc., a health and wellness supplement direct selling company, and its salesforce be discontinued. Central to this inquiry was a concern that the challenged product performance claims communicated that Globallee’s Taka products and various other drinks can treat and protect against serious health-related conditions, including COVID-19, cancer, and diabetes. The inquiry was commenced by DSSRC through its ongoing independent monitoring of advertising and marketing claims in the direct selling industry.

    • 8/24/2021 - National Advertising Division Finds Verizon’s “America’s Most Awarded Network” Claim Supported; Recommends Certain Other Claims be Modified or Discontinued

      New York, NY – August 24, 2021 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) determined that the claim “America’s most awarded network” in Verizon Communications, Inc.’s “I’m a Verizon Engineer” commercial did not reasonably convey any unsupported messages about awards given to Verizon’s 5G network. However, NAD recommended that Verizon discontinue the claim “5G from America’s most reliable network” in the “Everyone Deserves the Best” commercial and several other challenged commercials or modify the claim to clarify that “most reliable” is not a specific reference to 5G. NAD also recommended modifications to the challenged portion of Verizon’s website. 

    • 8/18/2021 - Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council Refers Earnings Claims for ByDzyne to FTC

      McLean, VA – August 18, 2021 – The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) of BBB National Programs referred certain earnings claims to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for possible enforcement action after ByDzyne, a direct selling company that sells a variety of health and wellness, technology, beauty, and travel products, failed to respond to DSSRC’s inquiry. At issue in DSSRC’s inquiry are earnings claims disseminated on the company website and by salesforce members on social media. 

    • 8/17/2021 - National Advertising Division Finds SharkNinja’s NeverStick Cookware Brand Name Not Misleading, But Recommends “Never Sticks” Claims be Discontinued

      New York, NY – August 17, 2021 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs determined that the name NeverStick, used for SharkNinja Operating, LLC’s non-stick cookware, was not false or misleading when used as a brand name standing alone. However, NAD recommended that the advertiser discontinue express and implied claims that its Foodi NeverStick cookware “never sticks,” such as “the NeverStick cookware that NEVER sticks, chips or flakes” and “grab the cookware that never sticks.” NAD also recommended that SharkNinja discontinue claims that NeverStick has a “lifetime guarantee.” The claims at issue were challenged by Sunbeam Products, Inc. 

    • 8/11/2021 - Advertising Claims Discontinued for DAB Defense Against Bacteria Hand Sanitizer + Protectant Following National Advertising Division Challenge

      New York, NY – August 11, 2021 – Following a BBB National Programs National Advertising Division (NAD) challenge brought by S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., the advertiser Three Kings Corporation permanently discontinued express and implied advertising claims from websites and social media regarding the effectiveness and duration of the antibacterial properties of its DAB Defense Against Bacteria Hand Sanitizer + Protectant.