Science-washing
I walked through the beverage aisle the other day, and it was outrageous. I went in there looking for a black cherry Boylan, and came out with some nefariously overpriced cherry-flavored sparkling analeptic. And that was the most tame option they offered. It got me thinking:
Why did our soda all suddenly become health tonics?
Nearly every new soda now has some label like supports immunity, gut healthy, clinically tested, science-backed, or evidence-based. And we automatically assume these things are true. But these terms don’t speak to whether the product actually works or is any good, it just means it was tested. But even that doesn’t speak to it’s reliability; it could have been tested on a single person, or on ten mice in a college lab in the 1950’s.
When I’m out shopping, I’m just trying to get the food and get out. I don’t really like to linger, I don’t even go for the free samples. I grab what I want and I get out. And I doubt I’m alone in this. And when you’re faced with deciding between Taste the Feeling, and Fun(ctional) Prebiotic Soda For All, you don’t really have time to think these things through. You’re forced to choose between feeling guilty for getting the one you want, or unsatisfied for getting the “healthy” version of your cravings. But here’s the catch: these fake versions aren’t even healthier for us.
Flashy labels give the mirage of science.
All those scientific-sounding claims on the labels? They’re just more marketing BS. Brands will dangle superfood ingredients over us by putting them on the label, but we don’t know how much is even in there, or if they’re even effective. They could be putting in the teensiest bit of it, and still be putting it on the label as an enticing ingredient, then upcharging you for the fancy jargon they pulled you in with. This is called science-washing, and it’s a brilliant marketing tactic. But it’s no way to gauge a product's “healthiness.”
Science-washing:
When brands exaggerate their product’s benefits by citing scientific jargon or distorted research.
That’s because there’s no quantifiable way to measure words like “helps,” “boosts,” or “supports.” The FDA doesn’t regulate any of these claims, nor does it require that companies even prove their effectiveness. Legally, all they need to do is add this tiny disclaimer to whatever they’re saying, then they’ve got the government’s blessing to manipulate consumers to their hearts content. With all these flashy labels, wellness brands are essentially implying their product works, then, in a much less visible part of their packaging, confessing the fact that there’s no evidence that it works at all. So, apart from the sleight of hand, why do we trust them?
There was a study done showing that people who are more likely to trust science, are effectively more likely to share distorted claims containing scientific references. In short, people who search for the truth are more likely to be misled by companies purporting to lead the way. So, these brands plaster their product labels with pseudoscience-sanctified claims to gain your trust. They aren’t making prebiotic sodas to save the world. They’re selling a feeling of safety in order to get your money. It’s nobody’s fault that we trust these claims, but it’s important to know:
Broad trust in science makes us vulnerable.
And these companies don’t stop with unregulated claims. Oftentimes, they list scientific studies to bolster their argument. But listing studies doesn’t do anything either. Without doing extensive research on the matter, we don’t know if:
These studies are reputable.
They’re independently conducted (without financial interest).
That they’re indexed in Pub Med.
That the results were even in their favor, or;
That these studies have anything to do with their products.
So, what are we to do?
For starters, you could conduct your own research. You could scour through studies of ingredients on Pub Med. You could search the internet to see if these companies are outed scams. And you could search reputable websites for information.
But I suggest a different, less exhausting method. The onus shouldn’t be on the public for undoing what larger companies are causing. Instead, I propose this:
You could recognize that these brands are science-washing their products to manipulate you into giving them your cash. No soda is going to have the power to “heal your gut,” or give you “memory support.” Instead of buying into the morality of science-washing…
You can choose foods based on desire.
Believe it or not, soda doesn’t have to be a health-altering endeavor. Soda can just be soda. It’s really as simple as that.
Cheers,
Maria
