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Food Company Pulls Bait and Switch On Organic Milk
Food company giant Dean Foods got caught trying to fool customers into thinking the Silk brand soy milk they produced was organic. At one point up until early 2009 the milk was made with organic soybeans. But then Dean Foods switched to conventional soybeans which most of the time are grown with pesticides. But somehow they forgot to mention this to anyone. They kept the same bar codes on the milk cartons and kept the label the same, only quietly switching the word “organic” with “natural.” And of course they kept the price the same. Because the bar codes were kept the same even some retail grocery stores were just as fooled as the consumer. Said one store owner. “We don’t want to be part of customer deception.” It appears that consumers need to be more careful then ever in distinguishing between organic and natural labels. (NaturalNews) Until early 2009, Silk brand soy milk was made using organic soybeans. But earlier this year, Dean Foods (owner of the Silk brand) quietly switched to conventional soybeans, which are often grown with pesticides. But they kept the same UPC bar codes on their products, and they kept the product label virtually the same, only replacing the word “organic” with “natural” in a way that was barely noticeable. They also kept the price the same, charging consumers “organic” prices for a product that was now suddenly made with conventionally-grown soybeans.
Many retailers and consumers never noticed the bait-and-switch tactic, so they kept buying Silk, thinking it was still organic. The shift on the product label from “organic” to “natural” wasn’t well understood by consumers, either. Many consumers continue to think that the term “natural” is basically the same as “organic,” when in fact they are almost opposites. The term “natural” is entirely unregulated, and almost anything can be claimed to be “natural” even when it’s sprayed with pesticides or treated with other chemicals.
This bait-and-switch ploy continued throughout 2009 until a few watchdog organizations started to catch on to the covert switch. In late October, the Cornucopia Institute (www.Cornucopia.org) accused Target stores of misleading consumers by advertising Silk products using the old “organic” labeling even though the product being sold in stores was not organic. Cornucopia’s Mark Kastel accused Target and Dean Foods for “blurring the line between organic and natural,” thereby confusing consumers while boosting profits from the more lucrative sales of non-organic products sold at organic prices. (http://www.cornucopia.org/2009/10/o…)
Meanwhile, a Sunflower health food store in Texas also found itself caught up in the bait-and-switch tactic. It had been reordering Silk for months, thinking the product was still organic. But now, after discovering the scam, the store posts a hand-written sign in front of the Silk products, warning consumers with this message: “Silk is no longer organic.”
“We don’t want to be part of customer deception,” said the store owner in a Star-Telegram interview.
According to that same story, food retailers in California, Delaware and Texas were also duped by Silk’s bait-and-switch scheme, only discovering the switch to conventional soybeans months after the switch was covertly made. Dean Foods, you see, never bothered to tell retailers they had switched from organic to conventionally-grown soybeans. They just quietly made the switch but kept the same box design and UPC codes, perhaps hoping no one would notice. And the ploy worked!
“Dean has only added to the marketplace confusion between ‘natural’ and ‘organic,’ as they definitely do not mean the same thing, and ‘natural’ requires no verification whatsoever,” said Consumer Reports senior scientist Urvashi Rangan (see Star-Telegram article link below).
Labeling deception
Dean Foods is one of the big food giants that serves processed, factory-made foods and beverages to the American people. It’s the parent company of Horizon Organic, the so-called “organic” milk maker that’s been caught up in a web of deception exposed by the Organic Consumers Association (http://www.naturalnews.com/021763_o…).
http://www.naturalnews.com/027450_food_foods_Dean.html
I recall one of the Dr. Oz shows had a large traveling tour bus to discuss health or exercise issues with the public, and this bus had a Silk sponsor logo emblazoned on the sides. If Silk is a deceptive company then this another questionable activity of Dr. Oz. considering the way most non-organic soy beans are grown.
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Jacqueline Craig Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
I can’t believe that Dr Oz tried in any way to deceive the public. He is a very loyal doctor to hia profession. I do use Silk: however, and did not know until now that this scam had taken place. I will be looking for another soy product that has not been compromised. This is such valuable information. I am really disturbed by this to say the least! Sincerely, J, Craig
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Dee Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Try EDEN soy which is made in Michigan.
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Danielle Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Eden soy has always been my favorite!
Marisela Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Yes, Dr. Oz is also very loyal to the vaccine industry, considering he has share in a big pharma co.(SIGA TECH) and stands to make about 150 mil if everyone gets vaccinated. I guess like Silk, Dr Oz knows a little about secrecy and not being honest to the consumers (people).
http://www.naturalnews.com/027483_SIGA_Technologies_vaccines.html
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David Haber Reply:
November 15th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
As the Wizard of Oz would say, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” Dr. Oz’s curtain of deception has been pulled back, showing the truth.
Jodee Reply:
November 16th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
GMO soy was introduced in 1958. That’s 52 years ago! I for one will not purchase ANY soy products regardless of any claim of organic. I find it hard to believe that after 52 years of GMO soy pollen contamination, that there is any soy grown in the US that is still truly organic.
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It is my understanding that most conventional soy is now GMO soy. Does anybody know if the “all natural” label can be used for products that include GMOs?
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What this article failed to mention was that a majority of soybeans ar no longer even natural, and are GMO. Even non GMO soybeans have been contaminated by the GMO soybeans.
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Thank you for this very informative article. I was not aware of this deception. I am a consumer of Silk thinking that I am drinking organic soy milk, but not anymore. I’ll have to find another brand. Appreciate the heads-up.
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Not to mention that most conventional soybeans are GMO
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Dr. Oz was once my hero as well. Since reading articles about him “pushing” the swine flu vaccine, however, I have changed my mind. It has since been proven that Dr. Oz has stock in the vaccine company he was “pushing”. That to me is a real conflict of interest. How are we to trust him? Now the thing with Silk.
I won’t ever trust the Silk brand again. This is just too much!
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WHAT ARE WE WHO WANT TO PURCHASE ORGANIC FOODS, TO DO? CAN’T REALLY BE FOR SURE THAT MUCH OF IT REALLY IS ORGANIC. LABELS ANYMORE DON’T SEEM TO MEAN ANYTHING, EXCEPT TO BE ABLE TO CHARGE MORE. REALLY I ALMOST THINK A PERSON IS JUST AS WELL OFF TO PURCHASE THE REGULAR FOODS SOAK THEM, AND CLEAN THEM, AND GO ON WITH LIFE.
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This is just another example of the public being riped off…I use silk, and I am glad they were caught…Now we need to uncover many more of the deceites that are out there.
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I read that Eden was the best brand as it did not use or produce toxic by-products in the production as do some companies. I can’t recall the name but believe it is a gas ….that is harmful. So I now support Eden since a company.
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Before barcoding had become an everyday word, or even before the use of UPC codes was universally adopted on products, many companies resorted to changing SKU numbers whenever they made changes to a product. An added benefit to this was that someone could track the production history by following the trail of SKU supercessions.
That whole industry discipline seems to have been thrown out the door.
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More of the same. Money is the object – not good health. Are they switching back or are we boycotting the product?
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This is SO disturbing. I can’t say I am all that surprised however, as I shop Deans often and have had a few *questionable* things arise regarding their products. I went looking for a chasteberry product that I had been buying there for a long time but couldn’t find. The salesperson went out of thier way to sell me a different label (made in Utah). They were very pushy. I did buy it – and it made me ill. I wrote directly to Dean about it and never heard back. I have written a couple of times on things – and never got a response. That should have been a red flag. When people lie, it’s time to move on.
Sheree
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suzanne westfall Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
You would be better off staying away from Soy Milk. It’s high in estrogen. Too much estrogen can cause female and male cancers. I went to this seminar five years ago and an alternative MD researcher showed all this research he’d done on people and babies that drank soy milk or soy formulas and they had way toooo much estrogen in their systems. I was a soy consumer almost every day and so was shocked in our training as a clinical thermographer, that I was classified as a Five or high breast cancer risk, and showed a very hot upper chest area indicating high estrogen receptivity. If you don’t want your boys getting “moobs” and your girls going into puberty extra early, keep them away from it, whether it’s organic or not. Go for the almond or rice milk, although I don’t like the safflower oil in the rice milk.
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Danielle Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Eden soymilk is wholesome and good. I’m well educated on estrogenic foods,such as soy. Also highly estrogenic is lavendar,if a person doesn’t want their children developing early,or boobs on boys!
GOODKARMA makes an awesome organic original non sugary rice milk far superior to rice dream! I’m stoked I found GOODKARMA a few months back. I’ve always been loathesome of ricedream brands heavy sugar content,plus they only just turned organic not to long ago. Another thing is that making your own almond milk is soooooooo easy! My partners been drinking SILK brand and thinks it’s organic,I told him their lieing,and I’ve been by n large keeping my little girl away from it,now I’ll be telling him again only with new proof!
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SHEREE Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Yes, I am aware of the estrogen issues.
I take a wonderful herb called Chasteberry extract to keep my hormones in balance and it works quite well to help me manage Menopause holistically. I don’t drink much SoyMilk, though I do drink it. I will try the others too. Thanks much, Sheree
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After seeing the documentary “Food Inc”. I have been on a search to find companies and foods that I “feel” good about.
As for soy, I finally found “Organic Valley”. I feel very good about this group. They invite a person in to learn and answer questions. The products cost a tad more, but, they have printable coupons on the site. Most of the coupons are for $1. Just this week I made my first purchase from Organic Valley and I am happy with their Soy Milk.
On another note, I also saw that ALL Silk product were buy 1 get 1. I believe we are being heard!
Karen in Dallas
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Helooooo! Why would anyone even drink soy milk? Everyone I know, knows that soy is dangerous because of the plant estrogen content. You will not find this information on a soy milk producer’s website, because the information will be biased.
Go to Google, or whatever you use for a browser, and enter a search: dr. mercola – soy milk. You will find a wealth of information about soy products and why you should avoid them. Asian people typically eat only fermented soy products. They do not drink soy milk.
Best Wishes to all…
Judith
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Dean uses GMO soybeans = not organic EVER
Monsanto’s gene invasion is everywhere
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I cannot believe that Dr. Oz is a cohort of the Dean Co. fraud. He may have money in stocks but that doesn’t mean he is defrauding people with a substitute product.
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Personally, I never bought Silk. Never trusted the company. It would serve them right for stores to stop stocking that brand.
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What exactly is, or ever could be, ‘organic’ about genetically modified soya?
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Conventional Soybeans are not fit for food anymore and should only be used for industrial uses. Most soybeans these days are “round-up ready” meaning they have been genetically modified to be immune to the herbicide: Round-up. Round-up is so strong that it usually kills every kind of plant life. It is applied to the fields in the spring to kill all weeds and then the soybeans are planted right afterwards. Thus the soybean plant lives in and absorbs the round-up residue into the plant and still survives.
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I agree with Judith! People do need to be aware of soy and the healthy ways to eat it. Certified Organic which means no GMO’s, fermented to say the least is the best way to eat it. We need to look at history and asian people and their history with cancer. 1000’s of years of documented proof show they do not ingest soy the way Westerners do. Miso, tofu and so on. Westerners are always into convenience, heavily processed. Think about our digestive systems and what we can easily digest and assimilate, what the ingredients are that are in the soy products to make it what it is and how it is processed or lack of. It is hard for humans to digest soybeans in their natural state. Fermenting makes it easier for us to digest soy.
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I ONLY trust ORGANIC VALLEY when it comes to milk and most other dairy products. Horizon has not been Organic for a long time and Whole Foods continues to sell the brand because it is a money maker for them. They promised me 3 years ago they would have it off their shelves in 6 mos. Research your products on line before you buy and ask around. Many of our organic food companies that were once family owned and operated are being bought out and we think they are still the brand and product we once trusted when they are changing the ingredients. It is causing many people to be sick and they don’t understand why they are sick Well we are catching on!!!! That is why we always have to stay aware.
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This is a lame complaint. The label said natural not organic…waaaahhhh…
I don’t get this whining about it.
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Monsanto is a company primarily marketing FRAUD. Be informed and fight this poison manufacturer that ALWAYS places profit above your wellbeing.
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For years I drank and served to my daughter soymilk to avoid cows milk and all the concentrated heavy metals, PCBs, pesticides. Then came all the information on how bad soy was in large quantities – followed by the dirty secrets about GMO soy which turns into toxic poison in ones body even mutating the human cell structure into a toxic herbicide. We stopped soy completely about 8 years ago, switching to rice milk and nut milks, but I suspect the damage had been done already. Her development regressed around 2, she stopped speaking, and soon after was diagnosed with autism. At 10 years old her menstrual cycle began. I have to wonder if the GMO soy was a contributing factor in both her autism symptoms and her early onset of puberty frtom estrogen! I wonder if anyone has compared the dramatic increase in rates of autism to the introduction of GMO foods? Seems like both occurred about the same time – about 1996 or 1997.
Dean foods should be prosecuted for false advertising, fraud, and should be forced to pay back the difference in economic advantage accrued plus a significant dettering penalty on top of that. I know I would have fallen for that scam. I read labels/ingredients the first time carefully when choosing a product. After that I don’t read – I recognise it by the label, packaging and trust its the same. I don’t have time being the single parent of a child with autism. Who does?
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Danielle Reply:
November 16th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
My nephew has a mild aspergers/autism. My sil and brother are doing many nutritional things that are pulling him slowly out of it. Have you looked into reducing any heavy metals in your daughter? Or heard of being tested for allergies by a muscle allergy tester? I know that some others are finding help for autism like Jenny McCarthy,have you heard of her sons recovery from autism through nutrition detoxification? I would search YouTube on her,she’s passionate and well educated on the subject. Also there are videos of her on oprah.com
Many blessings to you and your daughter Steve.
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Gabi Steuer Reply:
November 16th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Please check out Dr Natasha Campbell McBride, she wrote a book called The GAPS diet and she has a website with the same name. There is also an interview of Donna and Natasha on YouTube about Autism… Raw milk is it for healthy children and adults, not the pasterized stuff, no matter how organic it is….If you can’t digest milk, it might be because you can’t digest the altered protein which changes during the heating process.A lady form my Nutritional Therapy training has 2 autistic sons and has been able to get over it after years of strict dietary changes following Dr Price’s work. The Weston Price website has many resources and recipes – to make almond milk too… Good Luck!
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Regarding organic dairy – while companies like Organic Valley may be honorable, be careful with your choices of organic dairy. Much commercial organic milk travles long distances and is ultra-pasturized, a process that virtually leave the product nutritionally worthless. While the Federal government requires all milk be fortified (because gov’t required processing removes nutritive value – same goes with processed flour) ultrapasturized milk has an even greater deficit than regular pasturized milk. This process allows it to stay on the shelf longer (but only BEFORE it is opened). Look for LOCAL organic dairy products and READ LABELS!
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There is NO soy product that’s good for you any longer..all are estrogenic and most have been polluted with GMO varieties, thru cross contamination. Dr Oz (IMHO) is a sell out to big pharma and I pay NO attention to what he says. Do your own research…use a search engine and discount messages put out there by manufacturers and/or growers of soy products.
STEVE ROSE: I hope you have stopped giving vaccines to your child…no better than soy, perhaps worse. Good luck
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For those of you that want organic milk….you should be drinking raw organic milk. It does not cause lactose intolerance, still retains its phosphatase enzymes ( required to build bone ) and it is safe and delicious. If you are in CA it is available in 350 stores state wide.
It is an incredibly excellent source of probiotic bacteria that are critical to building and supporting the immune system.
Organic UHT milk is ultra dead….organic raw milk is alive and complete. Stay away from soy….it sucks and is very thyroid disruptive and estrogenic. If you want you cancer cells to flair up and grow like crazy…drink soy.
We are mammals and by definition drink raw milk. In CA 60,000 people drink raw milk every week and they are thriving.
Mark McAfee
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Raw milk from grass fed organic cows is very good for these chronic American immune diseases:
IBS, Crohns, Autism, Asthma, lactose intolerance, Arthritis, Excema, Ulcers, Osteoporosis…and so many more immune and autoimmune disorders.
In CA raw milk consumers thrive while others languish from the flu and colds.
Mark McAfee
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Yes!!! I noticed this also but didn’t consider it too much, just didn’t buy the product. Disappointing! I will not buy any silk products in the future and I used to enjoy the creamer so much… I also have been using far fewer soy products. I have heard the soybeans are put through a chemical wash to break down the fibrous outer shell?
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My local Walmart no longer carries Walmart brand organic soymilk, though it has done so for a number of years. It now carries Walmart brand “natural” soymilk (right next to the SILK), charging the same price for the “natural” that it used to charge for the “organic.” Follow the money! wwl
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Thanks for looking out for us. I will post about this in my blog and link it to you. I will buy Eden although I must say I like the silky smooth quality of Silk. But no more. A friend sent me the email after she saw the silk in my fridge.
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