UK watchdog to probe Nutella ad

An investigation has been launched into a Nutella advert which claims the chocolate spread is part of a balanced breakfast for children.

The Advertising Standards Authority received around 20 objections to the TV commercial.

Which? criticised the advert for being “misleading” to parents.

The commercial highlighted Nutella’s milk, hazelnut and cocoa content but failed to mention the spread was high in sugar and fat, the consumer group said.

The advert says each jar of the chocolate spread contains 52 hazelnuts and the equivalent of a glass of skimmed milk, and some cocoa.

Which? chief policy adviser Sue Davies said: “We think it is misleading to tell people about the hazelnuts, skimmed milk and cocoa, but not mention that it’s over half sugar.

“You would have to eat a whole jar of Nutella just to get the claimed ’equivalent of a glass of skimmed milk’. That would also mean consuming over 100g of sugar, even for the smallest jar of Nutella.”

The consumer group said Nutella was 55% sugar and 31% fat.

An Advertising Standards Authority spokeswoman said the watchdog had launched an investigation following the batch of complaints.

“The nature of the complaints is that hazelnuts and milk aren’t the main ingredients,” she said.