Pom Wonderful has run out of ways to fight a 2013 Federal Trade Commission ruling that found the brand deceptively advertised its products by claiming they could treat maladies such as heart disease.
The Supreme Court today denied to hear Pom's challenge to the ruling, which was upheld by an appeals court in 2015. The FTC alleged that Pom Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice and POMx supplements "deceptively advertised that the products could treat, prevent or reduce the risk of heart disease, prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction, and were clinically proven to have such benefits."
"I am pleased that the Pom Wonderful case has been brought to a successful conclusion," FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said in a statement today. "The outcome of this case makes clear that companies like Pom making serious health claims about food and nutritional supplement products must have rigorous scientific evidence to back them up. Consumers deserve no less."
Pom Wonderful in a statement said: "POM Wonderful is committed to honest, transparent communication with consumers everywhere, and while the FTC questioned only 36 of our nearly 600 ads, we continue to stand behind our efforts to publicly convey valuable information about the health benefits of POM, as well as the $40 million in peer-reviewed, scientific research we've conducted regarding the power of this amazing fresh fruit."
Pom discontinued the ads in question in 2005 and 2007, Reuters reported, citing Pom lawyers.
Pom this year has run ads touting the drink as an "antioxidant superpower," using the tagline "Crazy Healthy."