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food / travel

German Court To Nutella: Stop Hawking Your Chocolate Treat As Healthy

Nutella may be tasty, but the creamy chocolate spread is not nearly as healthy as its labels would suggest. A court in Frankfurt has ruled that Ferrero, Nutella’s parent company, needs to change its labels, which consumer groups call downright deceptive.

Nutella for breakfast
Nutella for breakfast

*NEWSBITES

Nutella manufacturer Ferrero markets its popular chocolate-hazelnut spread as not only being good, but good for you. A German courts begs to differ, arguing that while Nutella product may be indeed be delicious, its does not have the nutritional value or vitamin content its labels would suggest.

Frankfurt's Court of Appeals has ordered Ferrero to change its Nutella labels, insisting they contain erroneous and misleading information. The court sided with consumer protection groups, which claim the company calculated Nutella's fat and carbohydrate content based on a 15-gram portion, while estimating vitamin and mineral content – which appear on the labels in another color so as to stand out – based on a 100-gram portion. That would mean that the consumer would have to eat a fourth of a jar of Nutella, not 15 grams, to absorb the vitamin content listed.

Also, as the high percentages of vitamins and minerals contrasted with the low percentages listed on the labels for carbohydrates (3%) and fat (7%), clients could easily reach the false conclusion that Nutella contains very little fat and carbohydrates, but plenty of healthy vitamins.

In a typical supermarket buying situation, the court said, consumers didn't have the time to make all the calculations and would react positively to the apparent information that a product contained low amounts and fat and sugar and high amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Frankfurt-based Ferrero Deutschland announced it plans to appeal the case in the Federal Supreme Court. The company said it is convinced the labeling is transparent and easily understandable, and that it fulfills all legal requirements. However, it stated that in the meantime it would voluntarily change the labels by the end of this year, and list all nutritional values per portion.

Read the full story in German by Christian Ebner

Photo - janineomg

*Newsbites are digest items, not direct translations

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FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War

"Every Day Counts" — How The U.S. Shutdown Melodrama Looks In Ukraine

Congress and President Biden averted a shutdown, but thanks to a temporary deal that doesn't include new aid for Ukraine's war effort. An analysis from Kyiv about what it means, in both the short and long-term.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky with US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican of Kentucky) and US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat of New York) in the Ohio Clock Corridor in the Capitol.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky with US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican of Kentucky) and US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat of New York) in the Ohio Clock Corridor in the Capitol.

Annabelle Gordon/Cnp/dpa/ZUMA
Oleksandr Demchenko

-Analysis-

KYIV — The good news for President Joe Biden, a steadfast supporter of Ukraine, is that the United States managed to avoid a federal shutdown this weekend after both House and Senate agreed on a short-term funding deal.

With a bipartisan agreement that cut out the extreme wing of the Republican party, the U.S. Congress managed to agree on a budget for the next 45 days, until November 17.

Stay up-to-date with the latest on the Russia-Ukraine war, with our exclusive international coverage.

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The bad news, however, is that the budget excludes any new aid for Ukraine. On top of that, there remains a looming possibility that by year-end, the U.S. may face a full-blown government shutdown that could dry up any further funding support for Kyiv as Americans focus on domestic priorities.

The problem, though, runs deeper than mere spending issues. The root cause lies in significant shifts within the U.S. political landscape over the past two decades that has allowed radical factions within both parties to emerge, taking extreme left and far-right positions.

This political turmoil has direct implications for Ukraine's security. Notably, it was the radical wing of the Republican Party that successfully removed a provision for over $6 billion in security assistance for Ukraine from the temporary budget estimate.

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