Category: Litigation

  • “Icelandic Skyr” Misleadingly Made in New York, Consumers Allege

    Two consumers have filed a putative class action alleging that Icelandic Provisions Inc.’s skyr cultured dairy product is misleadingly marketed as made in Iceland despite being produced in New York. Mantini v. Icelandic Provisions, Inc., No. 21-0618 (S.D.N.Y., filed January 23, 2021). The packaging for the skyr, which features the text “Traditional Icelandic Skyr” and…

  • Smithfield Foods “Safe Pork” Lawsuit to Continue

    A D.C. Superior Court has denied Smithfield Foods’ motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging it misleads consumers by marketing its products as “safer pork.” Organic Consumers Assn. v. Smithfield Foods Inc., No. 2020 CA 2566 B (D.C. Super. Ct., entered December 14, 2020). The lawsuit, filed by the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), alleged that Smithfield “employs…

  • “Smoked” Cheese’s Flavor Obtained Without Smoking, Plaintiff Argues

    A plaintiff has filed a putative class action alleging Dietz & Watson Inc. misleads consumers by naming its product “Smoked Provolone Cheese” when the cheese’s smoky flavor comes from “smoke flavor” rather than “slow cooking over a fire of wood chips.” Jones v. Dietz & Watson Inc., No. 20-6018 (E.D.N.Y., filed December 9, 2020). The plaintiff…

  • TGI Friday’s Mozzarella Sticks Made with Cheddar, Plaintiff Alleges

    A consumer has filed a putative class action alleging that Inventure Foods Inc., which produces the T.G.I. Friday’s line of frozen foods, produces its “mozzarella sticks” with cheddar. Nason v. Inventure Foods Inc., No. 20-10141 (S.D.N.Y., filed December 3, 2020). The plaintiff cites the ingredient list, which lists only cheddar and not mozzarella, and asserts that…

  • Turkey Welfare Challenged at Ranches

    A plaintiff has filed a putative class action alleging Diestel Turkey Ranch falsely markets its turkeys as “thoughtfully raised on sustainable family farms with plenty of fresh air and space to roam.” Wetzel v. Diestel Turkey Ranch, No. 20-1213 (D.N.M., filed November 19, 2020). The plaintiff argues that Diestel “sources the overwhelming majority of its turkeys…

  • EU Court Strikes Down France’s CBD Ban

    The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has prevented France from banning the marketing of cannabidiol (CBD) “lawfully produced in another Member State when it is extracted from the Cannabis sativa plant in its entirety and not solely from its fibre and seeds.” In its ruling, CJEU found that “CBD cannot be classified as a…

  • Consumers Allege “Hawaiian Host” Candy Name Misleads

    Two consumers allege that Hawaiian Host Candies, “synonymous with Hawaii,” are made in Gardena, California.  Toy v. Hawaiian Host Candies of L.A. Inc., No. 20-2191 (C.D. Cal., filed November 17, 2020). “Had Plaintiffs and other consumers known that the Hawaiian Host Products are not made in Hawaii, they would have paid significantly less for them,…

  • Kellogg Promotions Expire Early, Plaintiffs Allege

    Two consumers have alleged that Kellogg Co. markets promotions on the packaging of its products that end before the shelf life of the product. Seaman v. Kellogg Co., No. 20-5520 (E.D.N.Y., filed November 13, 2020). The complaint asserts that consumers rely on incentives listed on product packaging when deciding which product to purchase, but because…