Proskauer on Advertising Law
Proskauer on Advertising Law

Tag Archives: Labeling

Much A-Brew About Nothing: Court Dismisses False Ad Suit Against Starbucks

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Brooke Gottlieb on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
Judge Alison Nathan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York recently dismissed with prejudice a putative class action alleging Starbucks misrepresented itself as a “premium” coffee retailer. In doing so, the Court found that plaintiffs failed to allege Starbucks made any statements likely to mislead reasonable consumers, and that nearly … Continue Reading

As Challenges to Recycling Claims Rise, Use Caution When Giving the “Green” Light

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Anisha Shenai-Khatkhate on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims, NAD/NARB/CARU/ERSP, Regulatory
NPR and PBS recently released an attention-grabbing investigation titled “How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled.”  According to the investigation, beginning in the late 1980s, “big oil” began a $50 million-a-year ad campaign promoting the benefits of plastic, while simultaneously informing the public that plastic is recyclable. In fact, according … Continue Reading

Survey Evidence in Amended Complaint Does Not Add Enough Juice to Save “Natural” Claims Against Mott’s Apple Products

By Lawrence Weinstein, Anisha Shenai-Khatkhate and Eric Wertheim on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
Judge Beth Freeman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California recently dismissed with prejudice a putative class action alleging that Mott’s apple-based products were deceptively labeled “Natural” and as containing “All Natural Ingredients.” Yu v. Dr Pepper Snapple Group, No. 18-cv-06664-BLF (N.D. Cal. Oct. 6, 2020). In doing so, Judge Freeman … Continue Reading

Conagra Slips Away from Parkay Oil Spray Serving Size Claims

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Eric Wertheim on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims, Primary Jurisdiction/Preemption, Regulatory
Conagra Brands recently emerged victorious when Judge William H. Orrick of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted summary judgment in its favor, tossing claims that the company disguises the fat and calorie content of its Parkay Spray vegetable oil spray product (“Parkay”) with artificially small serving sizes. Allen v. Conagra … Continue Reading

Judge Dunks Plaintiffs’ Claims and Dismisses Oreo False Advertising Lawsuit

By Lawrence Weinstein, Anisha Shenai-Khatkhate and Marc Palmer on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
Judge Edward R. Korman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York recently granted Mondelēz Global’s motion to dismiss a putative class action challenging the advertising for its signature Oreo cookies. Harris v. Mondelēz Global, No. 19-cv-2249-ERK (E.D.N.Y. July 28, 2020). Plaintiffs alleged the Oreo manufacturer’s front label statement “Always Made … Continue Reading

Court Gives Vanilla Ice Cream False Advertising Claims a Frosty Reception

By Lawrence Weinstein, Anisha Shenai-Khatkhate and Emily H. Kline on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
Judge Louis L. Stanton of the Southern District of New York recently granted defendant Wegmans Food Markets’motion to dismiss claims alleging that Wegmans falsely labels its vanilla ice cream. Plaintiffs sued Wegmans for false advertising, negligent misrepresentation, and deceptive acts in violation of federal and state law, alleging that despite labeling its product “vanilla ice … Continue Reading

Split Ninth Circuit Panel Vacates $24M Judgment in Hospital Gown Advertising Class Action

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jennifer Yang and Brooke Gottlieb on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
A split Ninth Circuit panel recently overturned a $24 million judgment in a class action lawsuit against Kimberly-Clark and its spinoff, Halyard Health. Bahamas Surgery Center v. Kimberly-Clark et al., No. 18-55478 (9th Cir. July 23, 2020). Plaintiff class representative Bahamas Surgery Center accused the defendants of misrepresenting the effectiveness of their surgical gowns at … Continue Reading

Added Allegations of Consumer Survey Results Fail to Sweeten the Deal: Court Dismisses “White Chips” False Advertising Suit With Prejudice

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jennifer Yang and Eric Wertheim on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
We previously blogged about the dismissal without prejudice of a putative consumer class action alleging that the well-known confectioner Ghirardelli misled consumers into believing its “Premium Baking Chips Classic White Chips” contained white chocolate. Last month, Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton of the Northern District of California once again dismissed plaintiffs’ claims against Ghirardelli – this … Continue Reading

Court Decides Motion to Dismiss Crystal Light “No Artificial Flavors” Labeling Suit Lacks Juice

By Lawrence Weinstein, Anisha Shenai-Khatkhate and Bryant D. Wright on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
Last month, Judge Dale S. Fischer of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California denied Kraft Heinz’s motion to dismiss a putative nationwide class action alleging Kraft falsely advertised its “Crystal Light” drink products as containing no artificial flavors when, according to plaintiffs, they contain synthetic DL-Malic Acid. Narguess Noohi v. The … Continue Reading

Court Tosses Hogwash Claims, OKs Pork Producer’s Use of “Prime” in Advertising

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Marc Palmer on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
Judge Paul C. Huck of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida recently granted a motion to dismiss brought by Defendants The Fresh Market and Tyson Fresh Meats in a putative consumer class action alleging that defendants deceptively marketed their “Chairman’s Reserve Prime Pork” product as graded prime by the federal Department … Continue Reading

First Circuit Affirms No Duty to Disclose Upstream Labor Abuses on Chocolate Packaging

By Lawrence Weinstein, Anisha Shenai-Khatkhate and Brooke Gottlieb on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
We recently blogged  about a District of Massachusetts decision holding that it was not deceptive for Nestlé to omit from product labels the (alleged) existence of child labor in its cocoa supply chains. The First Circuit recently affirmed this decision, along with decisions dismissing identical lawsuits against Mars and The Hershey Company. The First Circuit … Continue Reading

No “White” Lie: Plaintiffs Fail to Show Reasonable Consumer Would Expect “White Morsels” to Contain White Chocolate

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Eric Wertheim on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
After the recent dismissal  of nearly identical claims, the same consumer plaintiffs have once again been thwarted in their attempt to challenge labeling and advertising that supposedly misleads consumers into believing the product contains white chocolate. Prescott v. Nestle USA, Inc., No. 19-CV-07471-BLF (N.D. Cal. June 4, 2020). Here, the plaintiffs alleged that Nestle’s use … Continue Reading

A Legen-dairy Victory: Ben & Jerry’s Wins “Happy Cows” False Advertising Lawsuit

By Lawrence Weinstein, Anisha Shenai-Khatkhate and Monique Curry on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
Earlier this summer, the District Court of Vermont dismissed a false advertising lawsuit alleging that Ben & Jerry’s claims that it sources dairy products from “happy cows” on “Caring Dairy” farms were materially misleading. Ehlers v. Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, No. 2:19-cv-00194 (D. Vt. 2020). The plaintiff interpreted the “happy cow” and “Caring Dairy” statements … Continue Reading

Seventh Circuit Cans District Court Injunction in Beer Brands Corn Syrup Suit

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Carl Mazurek on Posted in Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
Last month, the Seventh Circuit reversed a district court’s decision preliminarily enjoining Anheuser-Busch from making various advertising claims related to the absence of corn syrup in Bud Light, including that Bud Light has “no corn syrup,” that Molson Coors’s competing Miller Lite and Coors Lite beers are “made with” or “brewed with” corn syrup, and … Continue Reading

Judge Dismisses Half-Baked False Advertising Claims Against Ghirardelli

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Marc Palmer on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
On April 8, 2020, Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted Ghirardelli Chocolate’s motion to dismiss a putative nationwide class action brought by several consumers who alleged Ghirardelli deceptively marketed its “premium classic white” baking chips as containing white chocolate. Cheslow v. Ghirardelli Chocolate, No. 19-CV-07467-PJH, … Continue Reading

Seventh Circuit Finds No Evidence of Deception in Aloe Vera Gel Labeling Lawsuit

By Lawrence Weinstein, Carl Mazurek and Monique Curry on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
Last month, a Seventh Circuit panel unanimously affirmed the district court’s grant of summary judgment dismissing a consumer class action alleging that Fruit of the Earth and its retailer clients deceptively labeled aloe vera gel products. Beardsall v. CVS, 19-1850 (7th Cir. Mar. 24, 2020). Defendants’ aloe vera products are labeled as “Aloe Vera 100% … Continue Reading

La Croix Loses Rule 11 Battle but Wins War, as Plaintiff Retracts Lawsuit Allegations

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Eric Wertheim on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
National Beverage Corporation, the maker of the popular LaCroix sparkling water products, failed to obtain Rule 11 sanctions against a consumer plaintiff, but ultimately scored a major victory recently, when the plaintiff not only withdrew her lawsuit, but also took the remarkable step of publicly retracting her claims alleging that LaCroix “all natural” and “100% … Continue Reading

Beverage Mislabeling Suit Runs Out of Juice

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Carl Mazurek on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
On February 6, the California Court of Appeals (Second Appellate District) sustained a lower court’s dismissal of a putative class action alleging that the claim “no sugar added” on the label of tangerine juice is deceptive because it falsely implies that competing products do contain added sugar. Schaeffer v. Califia Farms, BC654207 (Cal. App. 2d … Continue Reading

The Fun Did Stop for Pringles False Advertising Class Action

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Emily H. Kline on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
On January 31, 2020, Southern District of New York Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied Plaintiff Matthew Marotto’s motion for reconsideration of an order denying class certification in his lawsuit against Pringles potato chip maker Kellogg over allegedly misleading labeling of Pringles cans. Marotto v. Kellogg, No. 1:18-cv-03545 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 31, 2020).… Continue Reading

Ninth Circuit Confirms Dr Pepper Can Stick to its “Diet”

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jennifer Yang and Marc Palmer on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
The Ninth Circuit recently affirmed the dismissal of a putative class action alleging that defendant Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. (“Dr Pepper”) violated various California consumer fraud laws by using the term “diet” in naming and marketing Diet Dr Pepper. Becerra v. Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc., 945 F.3d 1225 (9th Cir. 2019). Plaintiff alleged that this … Continue Reading

Hershey Kisses Chocolate Mislabeling Suit Goodbye

By Lawrence Weinstein, Carl Mazurek and Ariella Muller on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
A California federal judge recently handed a victory to the Hershey Co. in a suit alleging the company falsely represented that its Brookside chocolate products have no artificial flavors. Clark v. Hershey Co., 18-cv-06113 (N.D. Cal. Nov. 15, 2019). U.S. District Judge William Alsup granted summary judgment in favor of Hershey on the basis of … Continue Reading

Seventh Circuit Remands after District Judge Makes Injunction Stickier in Light Beer Corn Syrup Dispute

By Lawrence Weinstein, Carl Mazurek and Ariella Muller on Posted in Deceptive Trade Practices, Injunctions, Labeling Claims
The Seventh Circuit has remanded a lawsuit concerning beer advertising to the district court for failure to follow required procedures in issuing a preliminary injunction – the latest development in the case’s torturous procedural history. On May 24, 2019, Judge William Conley of the Western District of Wisconsin issued a preliminary injunction banning Anheuser-Busch from … Continue Reading

Food for Thought: Outcomes of Food Labeling Cases Prove Difficult to Predict

By Lawrence Weinstein, Carl Mazurek, Monique Curry and Emily H. Kline on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
As we wrote recently, the past year has seen a proliferation of lawsuits alleging that food product labels mislead consumers about the product’s ingredients. The trend continued last month, with decisions from the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and one of its district courts reaching different results on motions to dismiss complaints alleging … Continue Reading
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