Dove Class Action Says Ice Cream Bars Don’t Contain Real Vanilla

A class action claims Mars Wrigley Confectionery falsely advertises its Dove ice cream bars as being made with vanilla ice cream, when the actual product doesn’t contain real vanilla.

Lead plaintiff Mohammed Garadi says he was duped into buying the product because of labeling that stated the Dove bars contained “Vanilla Ice Cream” and “natural flavors.”

“The Product’s labeling leads consumers to believe the flavor source is vanilla extract or another vanilla flavoring derived solely from vanilla beans, when it is not,” contends the Dove class action lawsuit.

“The designation ‘natural flavor’ is misleading because it implies all of the flavor comes from vanilla, because the Products are named ‘vanilla ice cream.’”

According to the Dove class action lawsuit, vanilla is one of the most popular flavors of ice cream because it mixes well with other ingredients.

“Due to its versatility and demand, there are constant attempts to imitate vanilla, whether through synthetic vanillin made from tree bark, or harmful compounds such as coumarin,” alleges the Dove ice cream class action. “To protect consumers from being deceived by products that purport to contain vanilla but do not, standards were developed to require it be labeled correctly and conform with consumer expectations.”

The Dove brand products at issue include 2.89 oz ice cream bars, as well as 0.75 oz Dove Minis sold in Vanilla Ice Cream With Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate With Almonds varieties.

“Where ice cream is predominantly flavored with vanilla extract and an artificial flavoring that simulates vanilla – i.e., vanillin from non-vanilla source – the product must inform the consumer it is ‘vanilla flavored,’” contends the Dove chocolate class action lawsuit.

“If an artificial vanilla flavor (i.e., synthetic vanillin) is predominant in a vanilla ice cream despite the presence of some natural flavor (vanilla extract), it would be designated as ‘artificial Vanilla’ or ‘artificially flavored Vanilla.’”

Despite representations that Dove products are made with “naturally flavored” vanilla ice cream, the ice cream bars are not flavored with only vanilla beans, alleges the plaintiff.

Mars Wrigley would more specifically list the source of the vanilla flavoring if it were made with vanilla beans, Garadi says.

The ingredient list on Dove products includes “Vanilla Flavor with Other Natural Flavors,” according to the Dove class action lawsuit.

“In the context of a vanilla ice cream, [with other natural flavors] would be designated where there is ‘a characterizing flavor from the product [vanilla flavor from vanilla] whose flavor is simulated and other natural flavor [synthetic or artificial vanillin] which simulates, resembles or reinforces the characterizing flavor,’” notes the Dove ice cream class action.

The plaintiff alleges that he and other consumers would not have purchased or paid as much for Dove ice cream products if they had known it contained synthetic vanilla flavoring.

The Dove class action lawsuit seeks to represent a nationwide Class of consumers who purchased the ice cream products along with New York, Illinois, Idaho, Ohio, Massachusetts, Virginia, and California subclasses.

Garadi and the proposed Class are represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC.

The Dove Vanilla Ice Cream Bars Class Action Lawsuit is Garadi, et al. v. Mars Wrigley Confectionery US LLC, Case No. 1:19-cv-03209, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Read More Lawsuit & Settlement News:

Chevy Malibu Class Action Alleges Power Defect, Cover Up

Do I Need a Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Memphis?

TomTom Class Action Filed Over Misleading ‘Lifetime’ Marketing

$700,000 Settlement Resolves Claims of Wage and Hour Violations Against Life Time Inc.