Nutrisystem Complete 50

Nutrisystem touts that its Complete 50 weight-loss plan is “specifically designed for women in their menopause years.”

“Complete 50 works along with a woman’s metabolism and helps target body fat especially around the middle,” Nutrisystem says in the above TV ad promoting the meal program.

So how much weight can you expect to lose? According to testimonials from women in the ad, anywhere from 25 to 48 pounds. But according to barely legible and quickly disappearing fine print at the bottom of the ad, these results are not typical, and consumers can expect to lose an average of 1 to 2 pounds a week.

This thin attempt (pun intended) at disclosing typical results to consumers is problematic. As the FTC explains, advertisers using endorsements in weight-loss ads have two choices:

Either the results in the ad must be typical of what other consumers can expect to achieve or the ad must clearly and conspicuously disclose what the typical results are.

And “conspicuously” doesn’t mean burying the information in the fine print of the ad where consumers are unlikely to see it.

The fine print also notes that some of the women featured in the ad lost the weight on a “prior program.” In other words, not Complete 50. This includes the first two women, who lost 35 pounds and 30 pounds, respectively.

But wait, there’s more.

• The TV ad also cites a study that reportedly found Complete 50 reduced harmful belly fat by 8 percent in a user’s first month. Nutrisystem repeats this claim on its website (“If it wasn’t true, they couldn’t say it!” says company spokeswoman Marie Osmond). But neither the ad nor the website offers any additional information about the study, such as who conducted it or how it was carried out.
• Complete 50 is incomplete in that “additional grocery items are required,” according to fine print on the Nutrisystem website. (We’re beginning to notice a trend here.) There’s no indication in the TV ad that the purchase of additional food is required, not even in the fine print.
• If you don’t cancel within the advertised “7-day money-back guarantee,” which according to the website requires the purchase of a 4-week plan but doesn’t apply to all plans and doesn’t cover return shipping, you may need to pay an early termination fee. Fine print at the end of the Complete 50 commercial discloses, “Early termination fee may apply.” According to multiple consumer complaints filed against Nutrisystem with the BBB, the cost to cancel is $125.

Despite the company’s A+ rating, consumers have also complained to the BBB about Nutrisystem signing them up for automatic delivery without their consent and sending food that doesn’t look like the food in the company’s ads, among other things.

TINA.org reached out to Nutrisystem for comment. Check back for updates.

Find more of our coverage on ads targeting menopausal women here.