Del Monte class action claims company falsely advertises 100% juice fruit bowls, canned fruits

Del Monte 100% juice class action overview: 

• Who: Del Monte is facing a class action lawsuit related to 100% juice claims on its fruit bowls and canned fruits. 
• Why: Del Monte uses synthetic ascorbic acid and citric acid in its Del Monte fruit bowls and canned fruits, the lawsuit claims.
• Where: The Del Monte class action was filed in federal court in New York.

Del Monte is facing a class action lawsuit claiming the company falsely advertises its Del Monte fruit bowls and canned fruits as having 100% juice when the products actually include artificial ingredients.

Labels on the Del Monte fruit bowls and canned fruits show that the products include ascorbic acid and citric acid, which the Del Monte class action says are known to be synthetic ingredients.

“Defendant markets its products in a systematically misleading manner by conspicuously misrepresenting on the labels of the products that their respective fruits are contained in ‘100% Juice,’” the Del Monte 100% juice class action says. “Defendant reinforces these misrepresentations by adding vignettes and display windows that purport to show the fruits and the juices that comprise the products.”

Rather than being 100% juice, both citric acid and ascorbic acid are often added to juice and fruit products because they have preservative qualities, the lawsuit claims. And those preservative qualities are true regardless of whether the citric acid is added as flavoring or the ascorbic acid is added as a source of Vitamin C.

Del Monte was unjustly enriched as consumers paid price premium due to 100% juice claim, lawsuit says

Plaintiff Tisha Franklin claims that Del Monte is unjustly enriched because consumers are drawn to the products due to the Del Monte 100% juice claims.

Franklin said that she relied on those 100% juice claims when buying the Del Monte fruit bowls and canned fruits and even paid a price premium for the products because of those claims.

A group of companies including PepsiCo, Bolthouse Farms, Walmart, Wegmans Food Market and Target are facing class action lawsuits this fall involving claims of false advertising against companies that manufacture and/or sell canned fruit or fruit juice products. 

Have you purchased Del Monte fruit bowls and canned fruits? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Adrian Gucovschi of Gucovschi Rozenshteyn PLLC.

The Del Monte 100% juice class action lawsuit is Franklin v. Del Monte Foods Inc., Case No. 1:23-cv-08786-RML, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

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