The Nesquik bunny may be on the receiving end ofsome serious backlash. Nestle has agreed to remove its "great start to the day" claim from its Nesquik products, including many featuring the famous Nesquik bunny, according to the Telegraph. The removal follows a ruling by the UK's independent advertising regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority, which claimed the ad encourages poor eating habits among children.
The ASA found that the Nesquik products were, in fact, very high in sugar, according to the Guardian. The company denied the accusation, however.
"The advert for Nesquik Hot Chocolate shown on the label of a family-sized bottle of milk was undoubtedly targeted at adults who were shopping for their family, making it clear that the product should be consumed over a number of days, rather than in excess," said a Nestle UK spokesperson, according to the BBC.
It was found that a 200ml Nestle drink made with three teaspoons of hot chocolate powder contained 20.2 grams of sugar, according to the BBC.
The ban was prompted by a Children's Food Campaign complaint that claimed the bunny was the main culprit, according to the Guardian.
Nestle again denied these claims, saying that the ad was "carefully designed to convey a physically active, energetic character who could promote a healthy lifestyle," according to the Guardian.
"It is the second time in almost as many years that we have forced Nesquik to change their advertising because it encouraged poor nutritional habits in children and could be seen to mislead parents about the health benefits of such a sugary product," said coordinator of the Children's Food Campaign, Malcolm Clark, according to the BBC.
After the announcement, Nestle said it was "disappointed" with the ruling, according to the Telegraph.
