Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Category: 4th Circuit

  • Putative Class Action Alleges Burger King Overcharged Customers

    A Maryland consumer alleges that when she used coupons offering a free sandwich with the purchase of an initial sandwich, Burger King locations in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and Florida charged her more than they would have if she had purchased sandwiches without the coupons. Anderson v. Burger King, No. 17-­1204 (D. Md.,…

  • Court Denies Environmental Groups’ Intervention in Seafood Traceability Case

    A federal court has ruled that three environmental groups lack standing to intervene in a lawsuit to block implementation of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program. Alfa Int’l Seafood v. Ross, No. 17­0031 (D.D.C., order entered April 17, 2017). The court held that the Natural Resources Defense Council, Oceana and the Center for Biological Diversity failed…

  • DOJ Reaches Consent Decree with Valley Milk Over Contaminated Milk Powders

    The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has obtained a consent decree against Valley Milk Products LLC prohibiting the sale of more than four million pounds of milk powder products and preventing the company from manufacturing the products in the future. U.S. v. All 50 pound high heat nonfat dry milk powder (Grade A), No. 16-­0076,…

  • Environmental Groups Seek to Intervene on Seafood Traceability Rule Lawsuit

    Three environmental and conservation advocacy groups have moved to intervene in a lawsuit filed by a group of seafood processing, distribution and retail companies to block implementation of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program. Alfa Int’l Seafood, Inc. v. Sullivan, No. 17-­0031 (D.D.C., motion filed March 7, 2017). Natural Resources Defense Council, Oceana and the Center…

  • Fourth Circuit Affirms FDA’s Authority to Issue Contamination Warnings

    The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court’s determination that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had the discretion to issue an incorrect contamination warning about Salmonella-tainted tomatoes, which devalued a tomato farmer’s crop by $15 million. Seaside Farm v. United States, No. 15-2562 (4th Cir., order entered December 2, 2016).…

  • McCormick Black Pepper Slack-Fill Suit to Continue

    A D.C. federal court has denied McCormick & Co.’s motion to dismiss a competitor’s lawsuit alleging the company’s black pepper packaging contains too much slack fill. In re McCormick & Co., Inc., Pepper Prods. Mktg. & Sales Practices Litig., No. 15-1825 (D.D.C., order entered October 17, 2016). The lawsuit is part of multidistrict litigation joining…

  • CSPI Sues FDA for Inaction on Shellfish Regulation

    The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has filed a lawsuit seeking to compel the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to act on the organization’s 2012 citizen petition seeking establishment of a performance standard for controlling Vibrio vulnificus, bacteria responsible for several deaths related to seafood consumption. Ctr. for Sci. in Pub.…

  • Great Harvest Bread Co. Targets Panera’s Tagline as Infringing

    Great Harvest Franchising, Inc. and two franchisees of Great Harvest Bread Co. have filed a lawsuit against Panera Bread Co., alleging the company has been using a tagline—“Food as it should be”—that infringes on Great Harvest’s trademarked slogan, “Bread. The way it ought to be.” Great Harvest Franchising, Inc. v. Panera Bread Co., No. 16-0121…