FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  June 18, 1987


      FTC CHARGES KRAFT INC. MISREPRESENTED CALCIUM CONTENT
                 OF ITS INDIVIDUAL CHEESE SLICES


     The Federal Trade Commission today charged Kraft Inc. with
misrepresenting the calcium content of its Kraft Singles product
in its advertisements.
     Kraft is a food and consumer products company that sells
dairy products, batteries, ice cream, salad dressings, and
packaged and frozen foods.  Kraft advertises and sells cheese and
related products nationwide, including Kraft Singles American
Pasteurized Process Cheese Food (Kraft Singles).  According to
trade sources, Kraft's net sales for 1986 were $8.7 billion, with
dairy products accounting for $651 million.
     According to Bureau of Consumer Protection Director William
MacLeod, "Nutritional information is important to consumers, but
it can be difficult for them to verify.  That is why we seek to
maintain the accuracy of nutritional claims."
     In an administrative complaint, the FTC charged Kraft
claimed in ads that a slice of Kraft Singles contains the same
amount of calcium as five ounces of milk, when it does not.
According to the complaint, this claim is false and misleading.
     In addition, according to the complaint, Kraft falsely
represented in its ads that Kraft Singles contain more calcium
than do most imitation cheese slices.
     The complaint further charges that Kraft represented that it
possessed substantiation for these claims when, in fact, it did
not.  These representations were, therefore, false and mislead
ing, according to the complaint.
     The Commission issues a complaint when it has reason to
believe that the law has been or is being violated, and where it
appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public
interest.  Such action marks the beginning of a proceeding in
which the allegations will be ruled upon after a formal hearing.
     If the Commission's allegations are upheld, Kraft could be
prohibited from misrepresenting the calcium or other nutrient
content of its cheese-type products, including those made in
comparative ads.  The company could also be prohibited from
making such claims without having competent and reliable
scientific evidence.
     This complaint concludes an investigation conducted with the
cooperation of the California Attorney General's office.

     The vote to issue the complaint was 4-1, with Commissioner
Mary L. Azcuenaga dissenting.  Commissioner Azcuenaga said, "The
public interest would have been served by postponing until next
week the initiation of a lawsuit.  My vote, however, should not
be construed as disagreement with the substance of the
complaint."


                             (More)
     Copies of the complaint and proposed order are available from the FTC's Public
Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C.
20580; 202-326-2222; TTY 202-326-2502.


                              # # #



MEDIA CONTACT:  Dee Ellison, Office of Public Affairs, 202-326-2177


STAFF CONTACT:  Robert C. Cheek, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-3045


FTC File No. 862 3097


[kraft]