That is hogwash. You spoke with some marketing meatbag, who likely doesn't know engine oil from olive oil, and is just feeding you a line of crap off a piece of paper. If you dump that oil, you will just be wasting good oil. That small engine doesn't care.
This is a big reason I can't stand licensing and certifications in their current form. VR1 is, without any shadow of a doubt, a better oil than any API SP oil off the shelf. The API rating really only helps with identifying and isolating cheap off-brand oils selling line flush as engine oil. Unfortunately, API standards also put a ceiling on oil performance because of restrictions to additive content, base oil blends, etc... and forces all oils under that license into a small underwhelming box. VR1 doesn't have an API license because it performs above that ceiling that API indirectly creates. In fact, the only reason it doesn't pass API is because of SAPS. That small engine doesn't even have a catalytic converter, EGR, or anything else emissions related so the whole limiting factor for VR1 with API is moot.