Category: Issue 574
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“All Natural” Lawsuits Filed in New York over Hummus, Cheese Crisps
A consumer has filed a putative class action in New York federal court against Tribe Mediterranean Foods alleging that its hummus is not “all natural” because the product contains genetically modified (GM) ingredients, including canola oil and citric acid. Magier v. Tribe Mediterranean Foods, No. 15-5781 (S.D.N.Y., filed July 23, 2015). The complaint asserts that…
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Tuna Companies Accused of Price Fixing in Supermarket Cooperative’s Lawsuit
Bumble Bee Foods, Starkist Co. and Thai Union Frozen Products have been fixing tuna prices since 2011, according to a putative class action brought by Olean Wholesale Grocery Cooperative, Inc. Olean Wholesale Grocery Coop. v. Bumble Bee Foods LLC, No. 15-1714 (S.D. Cal., filed August 3, 2015). The complaint notes that while tuna consumption has…
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Red Stripe® Misrepresented as Jamaican Beer, Projected Class Action Alleges
Two consumers have filed a lawsuit against Diageo PLC alleging that Red Stripe® is falsely marketed as Jamaican because it has been brewed and bottled in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, since 2012. Dumas v. Diageo PLC, No. 15-1681 (S.D. Cal., filed July 29, 2015). Red Stripe® packaging “boldly states that it is a ‘Jamaican Style Lager’ that…
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Idaho “Ag-Gag” Statute Struck Down
An Idaho federal court has invalidated a state law that criminalized undercover investigations at agricultural manufacturing plants, finding that the law criminalized speech in violation of the First Amendment. Animal Legal Def. Fund v. Otter, No. 14-0104 (D. Idaho, order entered August 3, 2015). The 2014 Idaho statute passed after an animal-rights organization publicized a…
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Ninth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Challenge to Shark Fin Law
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a lower court’s ruling dismissing a challenge to California’s law criminalizing the sale or distribution of shark fin. Chinatown Neighborhood Ass’n v. Harris, No. 14-15781 (9th Cir., order entered July 27, 2015). The plaintiffs, two groups representing Asian-Americans who seek to serve shark-fin soup, a traditional Chinese…
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U.K. Slave Labor Law to Require Disclosures from 12,000 Companies
U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron has announced new measures added to the Modern Slavery Act, which took effect on July 31, 2015, that will require global companies to publish an annual slavery and human trafficking statement. The added provisions, which take effect in October, affect companies with a turnover of ₤36 million or more that…
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California to Update MADL for Lead
In response to a petition for administrative rulemaking filed by the Center for Environmental Health, the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has announced its intention to update the existing maximum allowable dose level (MADL) for lead. The agency will post a notice for hearing on the petition on October…