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Glaceau Vitamin Water

Shonky for Get Real – Bullshit (h2o+sugar+hype) goes to... Glaceau Vitamin Water.

shonkys hall of shame 2008
CHOICE staff
CHOICE staff
Fact-checked

Fact-checked

Checked for accuracy by our qualified fact-checkers, verifiers and subject experts. Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE.

Hey, where do we start? 

This range of "nutrient enhanced water beverages" by Coca-Cola Amatil Australia is so shonky on so many levels that we could award each individually. 

Vitamin

Glaceau Vitamin Water is a "nutrient enhanced water beverage". Where do we start?

With names like essential – orange-orange (c+calcium) or revive – fruit punch (c+b3+b5+b6+b12) and fruity colours, you'd be forgiven for thinking these drinks are healthy, or contain fruit juice. 

Which they're not. 

And which they don't.

Apart from the fact we think some of the marketing messages suggesting health benefits are in breach of food regulations, one bottle contains about a third of the recommended daily sugar intake for an average adult woman – hardly healthy. 

And none contains more than 1% fruit juice. 

What they do contain is flavouring, but you find that only in the fine print.

Then there's this message on one flavour: "Legally, we are prohibited from making exaggerated claims about the potency of the nutrients in this bottle." 

Followed by a number of exaggerated claims about the potency of the nutrients in the bottle.

We here at the Shonkys recognise humour when it slaps us in the face. 

But blatantly mocking food regulations designed to protect consumers from unsubstantiated and potentially misleading health claims?

 That's not funny – that's shonky.