More companies band together against advertising of high-fructose corn syrup as 'corn sugar'

Five more individual sugar companies and two trade associations have joined a lawsuit to stop the corn processors from marketing high-fructose corn syrup as a 'natural' product equivalent to real sugar in the US.

The sugar companies and associations said that they joined the suit because they have witnessed increased confusion and frustration among consumers who are reacting to the high-fructose corn syrup industry's mass-media rebranding campaign.

"The corn processors have been trying to mislead consumers for more than two years and now claim in their public statements and advertising that a name change would more 'accurately describe' high-fructose corn syrup," said John Sheptor, President and CEO of Imperial Sugar Company. "The attempted name change is an intentional effort to deceive consumers and, most disingenuously, it's being done under the guise of consumer clarity. We are taking a stand to challenge this marketing ploy for what it is."

The corn processing industry petitioned the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last fall for approval to substitute 'corn sugar' for 'high-fructose corn syrup' on ingredient labels. But long before then, the industry launched its 'corn sugar' rebranding effort. According to the lawsuit, "Defendants' resort to such literally false and misleading statements harms consumers, harms the makers of real sugar and harms any dialogue based on the truth. This lawsuit seeks to put an end to the deception."

The suit, filed in US District Court in Los Angeles, charges that the 'corn sugar' rebranding campaign financed by the corn processing industry's giant companies constitutes false advertising under federal and state law. The suit argues that the processors' fifty-million-dollar campaign was launched as a way to stem declining sales of high-fructose corn syrup.

In addition to the Sugar Association and the American Sugar Cane League, American Sugar Refining, Amalgamated Sugar Company, Imperial Sugar Company, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative and the United States Sugar Corporation joined the lawsuit today. Original plaintiffs include Western Sugar Cooperative, Michigan Sugar Company and C&H Sugar Company, Inc.

Companies named as defendants include Archer Daniels Midland, Cargill, Corn Products International, Penford Products, Roquette America, Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas, and the companies' lobbying and promotional organisation, The Corn Refiners Association.

The suit asks for an injunction to end the advertising campaign and undetermined damages, including compensation for corrective advertising.