The Federal Trade Commission has barred misleading advertisements for green coffee bean extract as a weight loss product. As part of the FTC settlement, the companies that were selling the supplements will have to pay $9 million to refund customers who bought the product expecting effortless weight loss.
This was a no-fault settlement according to one spokesperson. She maintains that the company admits no wrongdoing, even though it has already stopped the deceptive ads and will pony up millions in refunds.
It is little wonder that so many people were enthusiastic about the idea that taking an inexpensive pill would help them lose weight. Conventional advice to eat less and exercise more is difficult and does not necessarily produce the expected results. But it is unfair for companies to prey on consumers’ gullibility.
