Qibla-Cola accused of misleading consumers

A Muslim charity has terminated an agreement with a UK cola company because of "misleading" marketing.

Islamic Aid has pulled out of a deal with the Qibla-Cola Company because the charity has not received a penny of it's profits despite the firm's promises that it would give 10 per cent of its profit away.

Qibla-Cola, which is based in Derby, was launched last year and won high praise for its ethical approach, including the promise to help charities like Islamic Aid.

A spokesman for Islamic Aid said the main problem was Qibla's continued claims in its marketing that it is actually giving the money away.

He said: "Our concern is the marketing communication, which continues to say, 'we are giving' rather than 'we will give' because at the moment we have received nothing."

The Derby Evening Telegraph has printed a quote from a Qibla press release that reads: "The Qibla-Cola company gives 10 per cent of all profits made to good causes."

Qibla-Cola has responded by saying it has not as yet made any profit and that once it does it will be in a position to make the donations it promised.