Changes

==Advertising messages used with dietary supplements==

==Advertising messages used with dietary supplements==

Since January 1^st2007, advertising messages used with dietary supplements are regulated by the new Health Claims Regulations. Same like other food, illness-related statements and indications are not allowed and their use can be fined. In practice, this prohibition is disregarded, not only regularly but to a great extent. This is particularly true in the internet. Specifically so-called  [http://www.psiram.com/ge/index.php?title=Guerilla-Marketing guerilla marketing] methods (e.g. marketing on internet boards) are applied to avoid being fined for violating the advertisement ban. Often, several such advertisers - in the disguise of a regular user - cooperate and 'complement' each other, or an individual may soliloquise with their own socket puppets. Usually new board users will start threads on health issues and ask for advice. Shortly after this, another new board member will offer advice suprisingly fast and advertises a product praised for allegedly having cured the replier or some acquaintance. Such marketers will also use private messages or E-mails, targeting users who ask questions.

Since January 1^st2007, advertising messages used with dietary supplements are regulated by the new Health Claims Regulations. Same like other food, illness-related statements and indications are not allowed and their use can be fined. In practice, this prohibition is disregarded, not only regularly but to a great extent. This is particularly true in the internet. Specifically so-called  [http://www.psiram.com/ge/index.php?title=Guerilla-Marketing guerilla marketing] methods (e.g. marketing on internet boards) are applied to avoid being fined for violating advertisement bans. Often, several such advertisers - in the disguise of a regular user - cooperate and 'complement' each other, or an individual may soliloquise with their own socket puppets. Usually new board users will start threads on health issues and ask for advice. Shortly after this, another new board member will offer advice surprisingly fast and advertises a product, praising it for allegedly having cured the replier or some acquaintance. Such marketers will also use private messages or e-mails, targeting users who ask questions.

The consumer advice center of Northrhine-Westfalia, after having performed random tests at internet boards, points out that such boards are used ''to stir attention'' for questionable dietary supplements. Such absurd postings are frequently written by retailers themselves. Some 30 reports on aloe vera gels, vitamin and mineral preparations raised special attention. Every second author of such postings openly admitted they were retailers (5 reports) or offered additional information regarding the product or ways to order it (10 reports). It does not come as a surprise, therefore, that 26 of the 30 reports checked featured irregular and absurd advertisement messages.

The consumer advice centre of Northrhine-Westfalia, after having performed random tests at internet boards, points out that such boards are used ''to stir attention'' for questionable dietary supplements. Such absurd postings are frequently written by retailers themselves. Some 30 reports on aloe vera gels, vitamin and mineral preparations raised special attention. Every second author of such postings openly admitted they were retailers (5 reports) or offered additional information regarding the product or ways to order it (10 reports). It does not come as a surprise, therefore, that 26 of the 30 reports checked featured irregular and absurd advertisement messages.

While commercial producers and merchants would be in violation of legal provisions prohibition if they used health-related advertisement claims, the posters in internet boards obviously assume they can operate freely. Food expert Angela Clausen of consumer advise centre Northrhine-Westfalia criticizes: ”They operate in a grey area, largely defying controls by food surveillance and so far remain unchallenged.”. The Cologne Higher Regional Court in February 2008 decided that producers of dietary supplements are also to be held liable for exaggerated or inaccurate advertisements found on the websites of their distribution partners(file reference: 6 U 149/07).<ref>http://www.vz-nrw.de/UNIQ122313037328397/link502181A.html</ref>

While commercial producers and merchants would be in violation of legal provisions prohibition if they used health-related advertisement claims, the posters in internet boards obviously assume they can operate freely. Food expert Angela Clausen of consumer advice centre Northrhine-Westfalia criticizes: ”They operate in a grey area, largely defying controls by food surveillance and so far remain unchallenged”. In February 2008, the Cologne Higher Regional Court decided that producers of dietary supplements are also to be held liable for exaggerated or inaccurate advertisements found on the websites of their distribution partners (file reference: 6 U 149/07).<ref>http://www.vz-nrw.de/UNIQ122313037328397/link502181A.html</ref>

Advertisements used by the dietary supplement industry almost always suggest a deficiency of certain substances or active agents. This is usually backed by dubious or biased sources, or sources are quoted distortingly. Another frequently procedure is to present small scale producer-financed studies to suggest these were neutral sources.

Advertisements used by the dietary supplement industry almost always suggest a deficiency of certain substances or active agents. This is usually backed by dubious or biased sources, or sources are quoted distortingly. Another frequent procedure is to present small scale producer-financed studies to suggest these were neutral sources.

==Alleged vitamin deficiency used as a marketing argument==

==Alleged vitamin deficiency used as a marketing argument==