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Swisse founder to sue ABC over The Checkout

Updated: ABC stands by its broadcast of a story about Swisse vitamins and having the claims "independently tested in court."

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3chktThat didn’t take long.

ABC’s The Checkout is facing a defamation suit from the family behind Swisse vitamins.

Fairfax reports Avni Sali, the father of Swisse chief executive Radek Sali, claims he was ‘‘severely injured in his reputation and standing’’ after an episode last month in which Craig Reucassel said a case of Swisse’s product ‘‘highlights everything that’s wrong with the regulation of natural medicines in Australia’’.

A writ filed with the Victorian Supreme Court claims that The Checkout defamed him by saying he ‘‘manipulated’’ clinical tests of a Swisse appetite suppressant to benefit the company.

Reucassel, Julian Morrow, and CJZ executive producer Nick Murray and the ABC are named as defendants.

“We deny all the ridiculous imputations and will be defending it vigorously,” said Murray.

It’s the first legal case for The Checkout, but not the first time The Chaser team has faced legal hurdles.

The Checkout, which premiered 6 weeks ago, has 4 lawyers listed on its closing credits.

UPDATED: In a statement the ABC said:

The ABC can confirm that on April 26 defamation proceedings were brought against the ABC, Craig Reucassel, Julian Morrow and Nick Murray re: a recent segment on ABC1’s The Checkout.

The plaintiff is Professor Avni Sali, father of the CEO of Swisse Vitamins.

The proceedings concern a segment on Complementary Medicines which aired in Episode 1 of The Checkout (Thursday March 21 at 8pm on ABC1).

ABC is preparing its response to the claim but stands by the broadcast.

Craig Reucassel said “We look forward to these claims being independently tested in court.”

Julian Morrow distanced himself from Craig’s comments for legal reasons and because he wants to star in a Swisse advert one day.

No further comment will be made at this time.

32 Responses

  1. There is no evidence that vitamins actually work? No scientific proof at all.. My doctor told me they are a waste of money. So he mr sali can sue all he wants he wont stand a chance.there is no scientific evidence to back his claims. By the way this is a brilliant show.

  3. We are loving The Checkout and the way it reveals how the marketeers and advertisers make mugs out of consumers. But the danger is that by the end of the series, None of us will want to buy Anything anymore!

    As for vitamin supplements, they provide very little that a healthy, nutritious diet will. Unless your diet is deficient or you suffer some sort of health issue, supplements are a swizze!

  4. I love The Checkout. If all goes well then hopefully the ABC wins the defamation case and the other pays all the legal costs. Although unfortunately I think Pertinax is probably right. I guess it depends if it does go to court. Because there’s still time for the Swisse guy to show some sense and drop it.

  6. One thing I’ve noticed is the lack of Mark Wedder ads for Swisse in the last few weeks, yes I know they mainly play during the F1 but still maybe something is up?

    Guess we’ll see this weekend during the coverage.

  7. So many friends have told me how great The Checkout is, and I hadn’t gotten around to watching. I have now. I’ve watched heaps of clips. I Loved the clip on complimentary medicines.

  8. To be clear, the writ has not been filed by Swisse but by Avni Sali. He doesn’t even work for Swisse altho’ his organisation has run clinical trials on some of Swisse’s products so his impartiality could certainly be called into question.

    Either way, Swisse are on a hiding to nothing and I wouldn’t be surprised if their lawyers eventually convince Dr Sali to swallow his pride and pull the writ.

    How on earth did sports people such as Don Bradman, Marjorie Jackson, or Jack Brabham achieve so much without even a teaspoonful of “essential” krill oil? Where did they get all of their necessary vitamins from – surely not from food?

  9. Swisse probably thinks this won’t get to court and that the ABC will issue an apology rather than go through an expensive court case. Risky move and very bad PR for them either way.

  11. Defamation law is ridiculous. You can’t predict the out come and you can get payments for the most ridiculous things. The truth doesn’t matter.

    I hope the ABC win and get large costs.

  12. Why, why would they try and sue? They can’t win, and they’ll just bring more attention to what they are trying to keep hidden from the general public and unsuspecting customers.

    It’s either a horrible and sure to backfire attempt at a threat. Or it shows how entitled these companies feel and what contempt they have for the general public. Which would have been strengthened over the years by the ridiculous regulations they operate and how they market and sell their products.

  13. Love The Checkout, have learned a lot watching it, as for Swisse….can’t afford their useless products even if I wanted to take them !

  14. Go The Checkout. Does Swisse really want to put its products under public scrutiny in a court of law? Better to just turn the other cheek and continue to sell its useless, overpriced vitamins to a gullible public. 5 Stars to The Checkout team. The Swisse legal team will make a fortune regardless and being skiing in Aspen this winter.

  15. I’ve been put off by Swisse long before what came out on The Checkout. The constant advertising with celebrities and claims sounded like a load of bull. Ellen trying to promote them as well doesn’t sit well with me as they paid for her to come to Australia.

  20. With 4 lawyers on the credits, The Checkout has been very careful before it has gone to air. I look forward to the court case….go The Checkout.

    I like how they have a pop at some of the big names and expose why and how we get ripped off so much in this country, better still they are not held to ransom by sponsers….keep it up

  21. Loving The Checkout, and thank you Swisse for exposing it to the general public through media, hopefully it gains more viewers from this. I really hope we see more seasons of this great show.

  23. Good luck with that Swisse, This isn’t America, you’ll have to prove their claims are false to make it defamation. And, well, you can’t, can you.

  25. Interesting. it’s about time the courts had a good look at how the regulation of these products is managed. Well done The Checkout.

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