Deceptive Ad Claims: The Federal Trade Commission...

Deceptive Ad Claims: The Federal Trade Commission ruled this week that Stouffer’s Lean Cuisine frozen foods deliberately made deceptive low-sodium claims, and it ordered the company to avoid advertising that misrepresents levels of salt or other ingredients.

The toughly worded FTC action expands a 1993 administrative law judge’s ruling that imposed restrictions on marketing of Lean Cuisine as a low-sodium food. The full commission, acting on appeals from the FTC staff and Stouffer’s, expanded advertising restrictions to include fat and other ingredients.

The commission action was prompted by a $3-million advertising campaign for Lean Cuisine that ran in national publications from January, 1990, through August, 1991.