False Health Claims Put Pete Evans’ Alkaline Water Brand In The Deep End

Alkaline water brand Alka Power has been called out by the advertising watchdog for breaching the food and beverages advertising code.

The product, as endorsed by celebrity chef Pete Evans, boasted that the water deactivates peptides secreted in the stomach and increases bone density, claims that were found by the Advertising Standards Community Panel to be incorrect.

The complainant cited that: “independent tests have shown that the water was shown to have a pH of 7.75, much lower than claimed,”

The complaint went to say: “The advertisement claims that drinking this water will remedy acidosis, a serious medical problem.

“Diet does not cause significant changes to a person’s pH, stomach acid is incredibly acidic and breaks the food down into nutrients.

“Sucrose does not have a pH, and honey can have a pH as low as 3. The site, advertising a line of products, makes a lot of false claims, not just about the product but also about health, and claims to treat a medical condition”.

Alka Power went on the defensive, responding: “Yet again we have been targeted by envious people, that have hidden agendas, I have replied to every single person who comes on our social media and website requests about our authenticity.

“Again, this is the second time that Ad Standards have challenged our product and integrity”.

The Panel’s response challenged the validity of the research presented by Alka Power boasting its restorative qualities, saying: “The Panel noted the independent advice provided that this statement is unlikely to be correct, as the expert was unable to locate any direct evidence which supported this claim.

“The Panel considered that the advertiser had not provided any evidence to support this statement, and without any evidence to the contrary the Panel relied on the expert advice that the claim was unsubstantiated, and therefore is potentially misleading”.

The conclusion: “Based on the above the Panel considered that the advertisement did depict material which was not truthful and was misleading with regards to the advertised product’s effect on the body.

“The Panel determined that the advertisement did breach Section 2.1 of the Food Code. Finding that the advertisement did breach Section 2.1 of the Food Code, the Panel upheld the complaint”.

Alka Power was requested by the Panel to remove the claims on its website, which it has since done.

Advertise with us

Please login with linkedin to comment

alka power pete evans