Spa chain Champneys is being taken to court over claims it suggested an apple crumble could reduce the chance of spa-goers getting “cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes”.
The somewhat bizarre claim is one of 19 charges being faced by the spa, say reports, relating to food safety, nutrition and consumer protection laws.
Champneys’ Forest Mere resort in West Sussex is accused of failing to inform visitors it had a food hygiene rating of two out of five, according to The Guardian. Another claim allegedly involves a black rice, quinoa and ginger salad, which the spa apparently said had “anti-inflammatory properties”. Champneys has denied all the charges.
The court case – which was scheduled at Brighton magistrates court for Tuesday, but has since been adjourned until 28 February – is, of course, serious business.
But the crumble controversy did remind HuffPost HQ of the long history of ridiculous spa behaviour.
Who could forget the “vagina spa” pushing vagina facials, laughably named “vajacials”? Or the spas who’ve offered weird and (not so) wonderful treatments, from “vampire facials” injecting your own blood into your forehead, the “sheep’s placenta facial” claiming to have anti-ageing benefits, or the “live snail facial” which sounded plain slimy.
One thing we can agree on: there are enough dubious health claims made in the wellness sector – and we don’t need any extra motivation to eat an apple crumble.
HuffPost UK has contacted Champneys in regards to the above claims.