The packaging of children’s drinks is “deliberately misleading”

Confused parents sometimes make unintended and unhealthy grocery choices.

Children's drink packaging is _deliberately misleading_, study finds — juice in takeaway cups

A new study has found that the packaging of children’s drinks “deliberately misleads” mothers when they do their weekly shopping. Moms are rightly concerned about the health and well-being of their children, which means making sure they get healthy and nutritious food for their children. While they don’t mind snacking once in a while, they want the foods their children eat to be healthy on a regular basis. However, it turns out mom may think she’s making healthy choices, but she might be misled by the corporations.

According to Medical Xpress, a new study has found that beverage packaging is misleading when it comes to nutritional value and information and that it may be done intentionally. This study was carried out by the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Healthand it can be read in full here.

RELATED: 6 Drinks To Give Toddlers Besides Juice They Won’t Reject

Currently, the recommendations are that children under 2 should have no added sugar, and even older children should only have it in moderation. However, companies can count on mums being “too busy” when shopping not to pay too much attention to what the packaging says.

The study revealed that many parents are confused about the different beverage categories. They’re not sure about the differences between sugary fruit flavored drinks, 100% juice, and even toddler milk. The study also found that companies bundle their less healthy products with their healthier choices and place them side by side in a grocery store. This adds to the confusion for parents and may lead them to choose the unhealthy option. This is a known marketing tactic, and it shows how deceptive they can be when it comes to making more money.

Frances Fleming-Milici was the study’s lead author, and he said when parents heard about the results of their work, they were surprised and angry. They also learned that the beverage ingredients and the health claims made from them were not supported by any data. Which means they may not even be true.

While there’s not much we can do to force these companies to change the way they run their business and marketing campaigns, we can educate them. Parents can be made aware of what’s going on, which can lead them to make healthier choices the next time they go to the store.

Sources: Medical Xpress, JAMA Network