Abbott Laboratories is being accused of misleading parents by marketing toddler milks as essential for child nutrition, despite health risks such as obesity, according to a lawsuit filed on Tuesday.
The lawsuit, lodged in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, claims Abbott deceptively advertised its Similac-branded toddler milk products as the next step in a child’s diet, targeting parents of children aged 12 to 36 months. The case was filed by the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI), a non-profit legal research center.
Andrew Rainer, the attorney leading the case, argued that toddler milk is intentionally marketed to look like infant formula. “It sits on shelves next to infant formula and is promoted as the next stage in child nutrition. This tactic misleads parents and caregivers into buying a product that toddlers don’t need,” Rainer said.
The Similac toddler milk products are sold in similar-sized cans and tubs as the company’s baby formula and are placed on the same shelves in stores. However, unlike baby formula, toddler milk products are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to PHAI.
In response, an Abbott spokesperson told The Post, “This case is without merit. Abbott’s representations of its toddler nutrition products are accurate, and our claims are well-supported.”
The lawsuit seeks to force Abbott to change its marketing practices and refund consumers who purchased the products.
The complaint further accuses Abbott of creating a range of products, including “transition formulas,” “follow-on formulas,” and “toddler milks,” to increase profits as infant formula sales declined. Between 2006 and 2015, advertising spending on these products reportedly quadrupled, according to the lawsuit. Toddler milks have become a major revenue source for the company, generating over $500 million in sales annually since 2018.
Products like “Go & Grow Toddler Drink by Similac” and “Pure Bliss Toddler Drink by Similac” are marketed as “Stage 3” products, suggesting they are the next recommended step after Abbott’s “Stage 1” infant formula and “Stage 2” transitional formula, PHAI claims.
In a separate legal matter, Abbott was ordered to pay nearly $500 million last year after a jury found its Similac products contributed to a young girl’s development of a severe bowel disease.
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