AriZona class action over Lite Arnold Palmer drinks trimmed but to proceed

Update:

• An Illinois federal judge won’t let Arizona Beverages USA dodge claims it benefited from misleading consumers about the healthiness of its Arizona Arnold Palmer Half & Half Iced Tea & Lemonade Lite drink. 
• In an order filed Jan. 30, U.S. District Judge David W. Dugan says plaintiff Kenneth Crawford’s consumer fraud and unjust enrichment claims could move forward, while dismissing breach of warranty and negligent misrepresentation claims.
• Judge Dugan also dismissed Crawford’s claim for an injunction, saying now that he is aware of the alleged deception, he is not in danger of being tricked into buying the drink through its marketing.
• In his class action, Crawford claims Arizona’s use of the word “Lite” gives consumers the false impression that the drink contains less sugar and calories than it actually does. 
• Crawford claims Arizona markets the beverage as “Lite” to take advantage of an increased consumer desire to purchase products that contain less sugar and calories. 

Arizona Arnold Palmer Lite class action lawsuit overview: 

• Who: Kenneth Crawford filed a class action lawsuit against Arizona Beverages USA LLC. 
• Why: Crawford claims Arizona misleads consumers about the sugar and calorie content of its Arizona Arnold Palmer Half & Half Iced Tea & Lemonade Lite drink.
• Where: The lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court.

(Feb. 09, 2022)

Arizona Beverages USA misleads consumers about the healthiness of its Arizona Arnold Palmer Half & Half Iced Tea & Lemonade Lite drink. 

Plaintiff Kenneth Crawford claims Arizona’s use of the word “Lite” gives consumers the false impression that the drink contains less sugar and calories than it actually does. 

Crawford claims Arizona markets the beverage as “Lite” to take advantage of an increased consumer desire to purchase products that contain less sugar and calories. 

“Dictionary.com defines ‘lite’ as ‘noting a commercial product that is low in calories or low in any substance considered undesirable, as compared with a product of the same type,’” the class action lawsuit states. 

Further, Crawford argues the word “lite” is considered by the Food and Drug Administration to be a “nutrient content claim” and that the agency has issued warnings to companies who claim to make products containing low sugar. 

Despite labeled as ‘lite,’ product contains high sugar amount

Crawford claims that, despite the use of the word “Lite” in its labeling and what it implies, the Arizona Arnold Palmer Half & Half Ice Tea & Lemonade Lite drinks contain a high amount of sugar. 

“Far from being ‘Lite’ and low in sugar, sugar is the second most predominant ingredient in the Product by weight,” the class action lawsuit states. 

Arizona was able to sell more of the product and for a higher price due to its allegedly “false and misleading representations,” the lawsuit alleges. 

Crawford claims Arizona is guilty of fraud and unjust enrichment, among other things, and in violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and multiple state consumer fraud acts. 

Crawford wants to represent an Illinois class and multistate subclass of consumers who have purchased Arizona’s Arnold Palmer Half & Half Iced Tea & Lemonade Lite drink. 

Plaintiff is demanding a jury trial and requesting injunctive relief along with monetary and statutory and/or punitive damages for himself and all class members. 

A similar class action lawsuit was filed against Mead Johnson & Co. LLC earlier in February by a consumer alleging the company falsely markets its Enfamil brand formula as “milk-based” when its main ingredient is actually sugar. 

Have you purchased Arizona’s Arnold Palmer Half & Half Iced Tea & Lemonade Lite drink? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC. 

The Arizona Arnold Palmer Lite class action lawsuit is Crawford, et al. v. Arizona Beverages USA LLC, Case No. 3:22-cv-00220, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

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