New class action alleges Quaker pesticide contamination

Quaker class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: Plaintiff Daniel Tepper filed a class action lawsuit against The Quaker Oats Company.
• Why: Tepper alleges that Quaker fails to disclose its products may be contaminated with the toxic chemical pesticide chlormequat chloride.
• Where: The Quaker pesticide lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court.

The Quaker Oats Company is facing another Quaker class action lawsuit alleging the company failed to inform consumers its products may contain the toxic chemical pesticide chlormequat chloride.

Chlormequat has reportedly been linked to reproductive and developmental problems in animals, but its effects on humans have not yet been thoroughly evaluated, the Quaker class action lawsuit says.

Plaintiff Daniel Tepper says he purchased several Quaker products that were at risk of containing undisclosed chlormequat. He claims he would not have purchased the products, or would have paid less for them, had he known they potentially contained a toxic chemical.

Chlormequat is used to prevent grain crops from bending over, the Quaker class action lawsuit explains. A recent peer-reviewed study reportedly detected chlormequat in several Quaker products, including:

• Quaker Oats Old Fashioned Oats
• Quaker Oats Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar
• Quaker Oats Oatmeal Squares Honey Nut
• Quaker Oats Oatmeal Squares Brown Sugar
• Quaker Oats Simply Granola Oats Honey & Almond
• Quaker Oats Chewy Dark Chocolate Chunk Snack Bar

The study did not find detectable levels of chlormequat in organic products, according to the Quaker pesticide lawsuit.

Quaker pesticide content should be disclosed, plaintiff says

Quaker knows consumers want to eat nutritious, healthy and safe foods, Tepper says. He points to the company’s website which says Quaker products are “Delicious and nutritious to help support your healthy lifestyle” and held to “The Quaker Standard” of quality.

Tepper says he relied on Quaker to sell food products without harmful toxins, chemicals and contaminants. 

“Reasonable consumers, like plaintiff, certainly expect the food they eat and feed their family to be free from chlormequat, a substance with the risk of adverse health consequences,” Tepper says.

If there are potentially toxic substances in a food product, the manufacturer should disclose this information so consumers can make informed choices, the Quaker pesticide lawsuit argues.

The Quaker pesticide class action lawsuit asserts claims for violations of multiple state consumer fraud and deceptive business practice laws and unjust enrichment.

A separate Quaker class action lawsuit filed last month makes similar allegations that the company’s products contain dangerously high levels of chlormequat.

What do you think about the Quaker pesticide content allegations? Join the discussion in the comments.

Tepper is represented by Janine L. Pollack, Lori G. Feldman, David J. George and Brittany Sackrin of George Feldman McDonald PLLC and Rebecca A. Peterson of Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP.

The Quaker pesticide class action lawsuit is Daniel Tepper v. The Quaker Oats Co., Case No. 1:24-cv-02055, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

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