CANBERRA, July 24 (Xinhua) -- A "nutritious" toddler snack made by food giant Heinz contains enough sugar that it could be labelled as "confectionery," lawyers representing Australia's consumer watchdog have told the Federal Court in Adelaide on Monday.
Taken to court by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the H.J. Heinz Company Australia Ltd has been accused of misleading the public about how healthy some of its products really are.
The case, which began in Adelaide on Monday, centers around Heinz's "Little Kids Shredz" range, which is marketed at toddlers and young children. On the packaging, Heinz claims that it is made from "99 percent fruit and veg,- something the ACCC had labelled misleading.
Tom Duggan SC, counsel representing the ACCC, has said the product has so much sugar - 68.7 grams per 100 grams of mass - that it should be labeled as "confectionery" - not a health food.
"This product has added sugar, as a consequence it is not a nutritious alternative to the fruit and vegetables depicted on the packaging," he said.
"This is an extra food, it is not a substitute for fruit and veg."
Duggan added that, throughout the case, the ACCC would be calling on experts including well-known nutritionist Dr Rosemary Stanton, who he said "expresses the opinion that it is not a nutritious food and it is not healthy to encourage healthy habits."
The ACCC is asking that the Federal Court imposes a hefty fine on Heinz, while it is also seeking a public apology, and that the product is pulled from stores across Australia.
The trial will continue on Tuesday, with Heinz expected to lay out its defence.
