Johnson & Johnson Continues to Hide the Truth About Splenda, Says Sugar Association

    MOBILE, Ala., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week, Johnson &
 Johnson continued its efforts to hide the true chemical nature of Splenda
 from the American consumer. A court order was obtained to prevent access to
 Splenda's chemical plant, which utilizes chlorine and phosgene gas in its
 manufacturing process. In an effort to give consumers a better
 understanding of Splenda's complicated chemical processing, attorneys
 representing America's sugar farmers filed a motion to inspect and
 videotape the plant in McIntosh, AL, where sucralose is produced. Sucralose
 is the sweetening chemical in Splenda.
 
     These actions are further evidence of a concerted effort by Johnson &
 Johnson to cover up that it is aware Splenda's marketing is misleading
 consumers. In May, attorneys for Johnson & Johnson rushed into court to
 persuade Merisant, the manufacturer of the artificial sweetener Equal(R),
 to agree to a secret last minute settlement when it became clear the
 Philadelphia jury was going to rule in Merisant's favor. In subsequent
 interviews, jurors confirmed that they concluded Johnson & Johnson knew it
 was deceiving consumers with Splenda's marketing slogan, "Made from sugar,
 so it tastes like sugar," and intended to impose substantial damages.
 
     "Keeping consumers from seeing the plant is part of a much broader
 cover-up," said Dan Callister, attorney for the Sugar Association. "We have
 evidence that Johnson & Johnson has known for many years that consumers
 believe that Splenda is natural and they have never done anything to
 correct it. In Philadelphia, they paid Merisant millions of dollars to hide
 the truth. They are scrambling to hide their ongoing role in deceiving
 consumers about the true chemical nature of their product. Johnson &
 Johnson is desperate to keep this information from the public; but the
 truth will come to light in our case."
 
     In Sugar Association v. McNeil Nutritionals, the Sugar Association,
 representing American sugar farmers, contends that Johnson & Johnson is
 aware that Splenda's slick marketing deceives consumers.
 
     Andy Briscoe, President and CEO of the Washington-based Sugar
 Association, said: "This is not a loss for the Sugar Association; this is a
 loss for consumers. Johnson & Johnson continues to deceive consumers about
 the true chemical nature of Splenda -- which is not natural and does not
 receive its sweet taste from sugar. Splenda is a chlorinated artificial
 sweetener."
 
     Governing bodies in New Zealand, Australia and most recently France
 have ruled that the marketing confuses consumers and have ordered Johnson &
 Johnson to change it.
 
     The Sugar Association demands that Johnson & Johnson do the right thing
 for consumers and take appropriate steps to correct their ads so that they
 are completely truthful. If you would like to be involved or for more
 information on the Sugar Association's effort to educate consumers and
 encourage regulatory agencies to take action to stop consumers from being
 misled by Splenda's false advertising, visit www.TruthAboutSplenda.com.
 
 
 
 

SOURCE Qorvis Communications, LLC