Natural claims? Worth the hassle?
The flurry of false advertising lawsuits over ‘natural’ claims we documented in 2012 showed no sign of slowing down in 2013, with scores of new complaints filed in California in particular.
There was also big news from Cargill, which recently agreed to settle a proposed class action lawsuit alleging it misled shoppers by marketing its Truvia consumer products (which contain stevia extract Reb-A and erythritol) as ‘natural’.
Natural claims and GMOs
However, the focus of many of the ‘natural’ complaints this year has been on GMOs - do they belong in foods labeled as ‘natural’ or not?
Some judges handling these cases believe this is a matter for the FDA to determine, while others say the courts are more than capable of judging if a reasonable consumer is being deceived in such circumstances.
So will the FDA step in and settle this matter once and for all in 2014? Some attorneys believe it should, but most predict the agency has its hands full with FSMA, and has neither the time nor resources to wade into the ‘natural’ minefield right now.
Judge asks FDA to decide once and for all on whether GMOs belong in 'natural' products
Ones to watch
We don’t have the space here to cover all the other lawsuits targeting the nation’s biggest food and beverage manufacturers, but there are a couple of interesting cases to watch below: