Activia is clinically proven to regulate digestion
| Activia is clinically proven to regulate digestion | |
|---|---|
| MISLEADING | |
| "Dannon's Activia yogurt is clinically proven to regulate digestion, and its DanActive drink is proven to help prevent colds and flu." | |
| Domain | Food, Nutrition & Wellness |
| Tactic | Pseudoscience / Junk Science Statistical & Evidentiary Distortion |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2006 |
| Origin | Dannon's US advertising for Activia and DanActive from 2006 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-30 |
| Further reading: books on Food, Nutrition & Wellness | |
In the late 2000s, Dannon advertised Activia as "clinically proven" to help regulate the digestive system, and its DanActive drink as clinically shown to help strengthen the body's defenses. The ads charged higher prices for the products than for regular yogurt.
Regulators found the evidence did not support the claims as advertised.
What the evidence shows
- FTC settlement. In December 2010 Dannon agreed with the Federal Trade Commission and 39 state attorneys general to pay $21 million and stop claiming that Activia relieves irregularity unless it says three servings a day are needed, and to stop claiming DanActive reduces colds and flu.
- Class action. Earlier in 2010, Dannon settled a consumer class action over the same claims for $45 million.
- European rules. The European Food Safety Authority rejected many probiotic health claims, and Dannon's parent company Danone withdrew health claim applications for Activia in Europe in 2010.
Why it matters
"Clinically proven" sounds definitive. In this case the studies did not support the claims at the amounts consumers would normally eat.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, "Dannon Agrees to Drop Exaggerated Health Claims for Activia Yogurt and DanActive Dairy Drink," December 15, 2010.
- The New York Times, "Dannon Settles Lawsuit," February 2010.
- European Food Safety Authority, scientific opinions on probiotic health claims, 2009–2010.