Tag: natural
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Class Certified in Fat-Free Cheddar Cheese “Natural” Lawsuit
A California federal court has certified a class of consumers challenging the “natural” label on Kraft’s fat-free cheddar cheese product but limited the class only to consumers who relied on that labeling when purchasing the product. Morales v. Kraft Foods Grp., Inc., No. 14-4387 (C.D. Cal., order entered June 23, 2015). The complaint had asserted…
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Skinnygirl® Plaintiffs Denied Class Certification
A New Jersey federal court has again denied class certification to a trio of women suing Beam Global Spirits & Wine for allegedly misrepresenting Skinnygirl® Margaritas as using “only natural ingredients” despite containing sodium benzoate. Stewart v. Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., No. 11-5149 (D.N.J., order entered June 8, 2015). Details about the court’s…
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“Natural” Prego® Sauces Alleged to Contain Unnatural Canola Oil
In an amended complaint, a plaintiff has alleged that Campbell Soup Co.’s Prego® sauces contain canola oil with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) despite the products’ “100% Natural” label claims. Nelson v. Campbell Soup Co., No. 14-2647 (S.D. Cal., amended complaint filed June 8, 2015). The complaint asserts that 90 percent of canola crops in the…
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Inko’s® Tea Contains Unnatural Ascorbic Acid, Proposed Class Action Alleges
A group of plaintiffs has filed a putative class action against Inko’s Tea alleging that the company’s tea products contain ascorbic acid, “a non-natural, highly chemically processed ingredient regularly used as a preservative,” despite advertising the products as “100% Natural.” Collazo v. Inko’s Tea, LLC, No. 15-3070 (E.D.N.Y., filed June 8, 2015). Inko’s has consistently…
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ECJ Rules in Labeling Case Challenging German Tea Product
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has found that a correct and complete list of ingredients can be part of an overall misleading food label in a case challenging a German tea company’s “Felix Raspberry and Vanilla Adventure” (“Felix Himbeer-Vanille Abenteuer”) product for having no flavorings derived from raspberries or vanilla. Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen und Verbraucherverbände…
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Kashi Settles GMO False Ad Class Action for Nearly $4 Million
Kashi Co., a unit of Kellogg Co., has agreed to pay up to $3.99 million in a class action alleging that the company advertised its products as “All Natural” despite containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Eggnatz v. The Kellogg Co., No. 12-21678 (S.D. Fla., motion for preliminary approval filed June 5, 2015). The proposed settlement…
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Government Agencies Should Define “Natural” to Avoid Inconsistent Court Decisions, Professor Argues
In a recent journal article, a Babson College marketing law professor discusses legal disputes over the labeling of food as “natural,” noting drawbacks of using courts as public policy developers on the issue. Ross D. Petty, “‘Natural’ Claims in Food Advertising: Policy Implications of Filling the Regulatory Void with Consumer Class Action Lawsuits,” Journal of Public…
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Irish Regulatory Agency Issues Guidance on Use of Food Marketing Terms
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued a guidance note for industry discussing general legal requirements for use of the descriptors “artisan/artisanal,” “farmhouse,” “traditional” and “natural.” “Marketing terms are designed to resonate with consumers and are an essential part of business development in the food industry,” said Wayne Anderson, FSAI Director of Food…