Consumers International Slams Bad Christmas Items

30/10/2007

Dasani bottled water is not going to be a popular item to serve at this year’s Christmas party after a scathing report from Consumers International.

The global consumer group announced their Bad Product Awards for 2007 and Coca-Cola – the manufacturer of Dasani - is on the list. Consumers International says the drinks giant pushes marketing "into the realms of the ridiculous" and that Dasani is sourced from the same reservoirs as tap water. The entire UK supply of Dasani was pulled off the shelves in 2004 because it had been contaminated with bromate, a cancer-causing chemical.

Kellogg's cereal may not make the Christmas party menu for cornflake cakes either. The company was given a bad food award for the worldwide use of cartoon characters and marketing aimed at children even though the food is high in salt and sugar.

Christmas party hosts may think twice before presenting Mattel toys to children. The toy makers were named over the global recall of more than 19 million products made in China because of high lead levels and small magnets.

The awards, which were announced at Consumers International's World Congress in Sydney, were whittled down from submissions by consumer organisations around the world.