The Food and Drug Law Institute’s 2019 Food Advertising, Labeling, and Litigation Conference for the Food and Dietary Supplement Industries will take place September 26 and 27 in Washington DC. This is always an excellent conference that showcases specialized expertise in this important area of regulation and litigation. Speakers always include key officials from relevant enforcement agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission, Food and Drug Administration, and U.S.… More
Tag Archives: Food Advertising
What Does FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb’s Resignation Mean for Food Marketing?
On March 5, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb resigned after 22 months at the helm of the agency. His resignation will be effective as of a date that is as yet unspecified, but will be about one month from the date of his announcement. What might his resignation portend for any changes in FDA policy with respect to food marketing?
Gottleib was not known for focusing on food issues during his tenure.… More
Mandatory Oversharing on Food Labels: A Good Week for the Resistance
People on social media, and in some face-to-face social settings, often reveal more about themselves than they need to or really should. When someone makes an embarrassing but unnecessary disclosure, we call it “oversharing.” We might respond, “Oh, wow, TMI” (the online code for “too much information”).
Last week, two court rulings – one dismissing a litigation, and the other ruling an ordinance unconstitutional – helped food companies resist efforts by activists to compel them to overshare.… More
Damages Models in Food Labeling Class Actions: Upcoming Roundtable
On Thursday, February 7, Foley Hoag partner August Horvath will join a panel of other authorities to discuss methods of damages estimation in food labeling class actions, sponsored by the ABA Section of Litigation. Numerous class action suits continue to be brought alleging food mislabeling involving the package size, the nation of origin, the functional and health benefits, or the contents of consumer products.… More
Retro-Grade: What the La Choy Dragon Can Teach Us About Advertising Law, FDA Standards of Identity, Evolving Gender Roles, and Noodles
The marketing of pasta products sold in American grocery stores is a fascinating case study in the evolution of FDA food standards, American marketing, and even gender roles, as well as the growing diversity of America’s consumer population and its palate.
Most of the Food and Drug Administration’s standards of identity for food products were formulated in the early 20th century, and they reflected the foods in American stores and kitchens of that time.… More
A Trap for the Unwary: Cannabis Health Claims Likely to Draw Scrutiny from Advertising Regulators
With the opening of the East Coast’s first marijuana retailer just days away, consumers in Massachusetts may soon begin seeing advertisements promoting all manner of cannabis products, services, and establishments. The state’s Cannabis Control Commission has drafted regulations that place restrictions on marijuana advertising, but even with those restrictions, there is still plenty of opportunity for retailers and product manufacturers to promote cannabis to consumers,… More
Copyright Office Denies Protection for “Unique” Product Packaging
Our colleague and fellow advertising lawyer, Dave Kluft, wrote a great piece on the challenges of obtaining copyright protection for product labels consisting of a unique collection of elements (e.g., text, color, framing, or ordinary shapes) but not otherwise incorporating content sufficiently original to merit copyright protection in its own right. Originally published on our Trademark and Copyright Law Blog, we are republishing it here given its relevance to advertisers. … More
Retro-Grade: Old-School Chewing Gum Ad Raises Modern Claim Substantiation Issues
Welcome to another installment of Retro-Grade, where we take a trip down memory lane, looking at classic ads from days of yore and examining issues that might arise if those ads were run today. As the name of the series implies, we give each ad a grade. We are not at liberty to disclose the details of our proprietary grading scheme, but, suffice it to say, it is neither rigorous nor scientific.… More
Advertising Tips for Food and Dietary Supplement Manufacturers
In the course of my career, clients have often asked for a nutshell summary of the key principles guiding the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) action in the food and dietary supplements industries. Two decades of experience have brought these principles into clear focus and have provided a vantage point from which to assess the risks of non-compliance. While by no means a substitute for legal advice, the short summary below will,… More
Food Advertising And Compelled Commercial Speech In 2017
According to the Hyper-Chicken, a lawyer from my favorite television show, “freedom of speech applies to what comes out of a mouth, not what goes in.” State of Alabama v. Giant Space Iguana, 273 U.S. Ω (2976) (chewing corners off Constitution deemed non-protected speech).
The Hyper-Chicken is a fictional cartoon alien from the future,… More