As PR campaigns go, Unilever's attempt to get some column inches for its Flora brand in January this year was certainly eye-catching.
PR agency KTB released comments from leading heart surgeon Shyam Kolvekar, who said he believed butter and products containing trans-fatty acids (TFAs) should be banned. Handily for Unilever, he also advocated replacing butter with 'a healthy spread'.
"Banning butter and replacing it with a healthy spread would reduce the average daily saturated fat intake by 8g, saving the lives of thousands each year," he said. There were fiery reactions across the media.
Jamie Oliver told the Daily Mail he didn't believe in 'the food police' banning any food. And many consumers posted negative comments about the story on the Daily Mail's website.
A spokeswoman for the Margarines & Spreads Association points out that TFAs are a byproduct of the heat treatment of dairy products to remove pesticides and thus can never be entirely removed. She quotes Food Standards Agency research showing that UK consumers are only eating half the upper safe limit of TFAs.
Others are equally exasperated by Kolvekar's hardline stance. Alison Palmer, Kerrygold's brand marketing controller, says: "People responded in defence of butter as it's a natural product that's free of additives or stabilisers." However, Unilever spreads category director Phil Ellis believes Kolvekar was right to call for a ban, despite no positive impact on Flora's sales.
"We as a company believe that consumers should switch to a lower-fat diet," he says. "If we can find people with credibility to convey that message, then so much the better."
Focus On Butters & Spreads
PR agency KTB released comments from leading heart surgeon Shyam Kolvekar, who said he believed butter and products containing trans-fatty acids (TFAs) should be banned. Handily for Unilever, he also advocated replacing butter with 'a healthy spread'.
"Banning butter and replacing it with a healthy spread would reduce the average daily saturated fat intake by 8g, saving the lives of thousands each year," he said. There were fiery reactions across the media.
Jamie Oliver told the Daily Mail he didn't believe in 'the food police' banning any food. And many consumers posted negative comments about the story on the Daily Mail's website.
A spokeswoman for the Margarines & Spreads Association points out that TFAs are a byproduct of the heat treatment of dairy products to remove pesticides and thus can never be entirely removed. She quotes Food Standards Agency research showing that UK consumers are only eating half the upper safe limit of TFAs.
Others are equally exasperated by Kolvekar's hardline stance. Alison Palmer, Kerrygold's brand marketing controller, says: "People responded in defence of butter as it's a natural product that's free of additives or stabilisers." However, Unilever spreads category director Phil Ellis believes Kolvekar was right to call for a ban, despite no positive impact on Flora's sales.
"We as a company believe that consumers should switch to a lower-fat diet," he says. "If we can find people with credibility to convey that message, then so much the better."
Focus On Butters & Spreads
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