UTC has always been a Usain Bolt kinda guy, so he had a chuckle to himself when he learned that sports drink Gatorade has agreed to pay £220,000 to the state of California over an app called Bolt! which featured a character based on the Olympic sprinting superstar.
The game saw Bolt enhance his performance after drinking Gatorade but slowing down when he drank water. Naughty Gatorade.
Attorney General Xavier Becerra said the game, which was downloaded 2.3 million times, made “misleading statements” about water and that it advised players to “keep your performance high by avoiding water”.
“Making misleading statements aimed at our children is beyond unlawful, it’s morally wrong and a betrayal of trust,” added Becerra. “It’s what causes consumers to lose faith in the products they buy.”
Almost half the settlement will be used to fund research and education into water consumption and nutrition in young people.
