FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   January 31, 1991


         FTC RULES KRAFT MISREPRESENTED CALCIUM CONTENT
                   OF INDIVIDUAL CHEESE SLICES

     Kraft, Inc. misrepresented the calcium content and relative
calcium benefit of its Kraft Singles cheese slices in two series
of past advertisements, the Federal Trade Commission has ruled. 
The Commission has ordered Kraft not to misrepresent the nutrient
or calcium content of any of its cheese or imitation cheese
products in the future.

     The Commission opinion, written by Commissioner Deborah K.
Owen, deals with two sets of widely disseminated ads picturing
children.  The two series are known as the "Skimp" and "Class
Picture/5 Ounce" ads.  The Commission has found these ads deceptive
because they implied that Kraft Singles contain the same amount of
calcium as five ounces of milk, when actually some of that calcium
was lost in processing.  The Commission also found that the "Skimp"
ads were deceptive because they implied that Kraft Singles
contained more calcium than imitation cheese slices, when that was
not the case.

     The Commission finds that an advertisement is deceptive if: 
(1) there is a claim or omission that is likely to mislead
consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances; and (2) the
claim or omission is material.  A misrepresentation is "material"
if it conveys information that is important to consumers, and thus,
is likely to affect their choice of, or conduct regarding, a
product.

     The Commission order prohibits Kraft from misrepresenting the
absolute or comparative content of calcium or any other nutrient
in "any product that is a cheese, related cheese product, imitation
cheese, or substitute cheese" in the future, and prohibits any such
nutrient or calcium-content claim that is not substantiated by
competent and reliable scientific evidence.

     The Commission opinion affirms much of an Administrative Law
Judge's initial decision.  The Commission disagreed, however, with
the ALJ's finding in 1989 that "there was no persistent, long-term
pattern of deceptive advertising," and broadened the remedies in

                             (More)
Kraft-Op    1/31/91)



the ALJ's order to cover a wider range of cheese products.  The
Commission also disagreed with the ALJ's finding that the "Class
Picture/5 Ounce" ads had made implied claims about the superiority
of Kraft Singles to imitation cheese products.

     The Commission vote was unanimous, with Commissioner Roscoe
B. Starek, III, not participating.

     Copies of the Commission opinion and final 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:      Brenda A. Mack, Office of Public Affairsm
                    202-326-2182





(Docket No. 9208)



(Kraft-OP)