No added sugars? Mercadona and its controversial chocolate custard

The OCU denounces that the Hacendado chocolate custards that claim not to have ‘added sugars’ do contain, something that can be verified by reading the fine print on the strange label they carry. Mercadona defends itself with an impossible argument: they say it is the sugar naturally present in chocolate. However chocolate is not a primary ingredient itself. The deception is the same as if they sell a mojito ‘without added alcohol’… of course, but the mojito is a processed product and contains alcohol.

Looking at the large carton of the container, it would seem clear that we are dealing with chocolate custard without added sugar. In other words, in this product we will find only the sugars naturally present in some of its ingredients, such as milk. However, when reviewing the fine print is when the surprise comes.

Chocolate is not primary ingredient

The OCU denounces that these custards actually contain around half the sugar of normal ones. And indeed they carry the sugar naturally present in milk. But the problem is that they also contain pure and hard sugar, added sugar. Which? The chocolate itself.

When a user’s complaint on the subject came to the company, the first thing they thought was that it was a Mercadona mistake, so they contacted the supermarket. The official response left them stunned: “These custards are ‘no added sugar’ because chocolate has ‘naturally present sugars’.”

The problem is that chocolate is not a primary ingredient but a processed product, which is why the consumer organization denounces the incorrect argument and deception on the label of the analyzed custard. In fact, the OCU recalls that chocolate can be made with both sugars and sweeteners (it being perfectly possible to find sugar-free chocolate).

Mojito… ‘no alcohol added’?

“The nonsense is the same as if I sell you a mojito ‘without added alcohol’ because it does not contain more alcohol than the rum that I used to make the cocktail,” explains the OCU to illustrate the impossible explanation. For this reason, he says that in this case, putting “without added sugar” is misleading the consumer.

Milk, fruit, juices, honey… these are examples of foods that contain sugar naturally and where it makes sense to put “no added sugar” (as long as it’s true).