Abraham Jewett  |  September 20, 2022

Category: Food

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Close up of a slice of apple pie with apples in the foreground - Mrs. Smith’s brand frozen apple pies
(Photo Credit: Eldred Lim/Shutterstock)

Schwan’s Mrs. Smith’s frozen apple pie class action lawsuit overview: 

  • Who: Rachael Barnett filed a class action lawsuit against Schwan’s Consumer Brands Inc.
  • Why: Barnett claims Schwan’s misled consumers about the butter content of its Mrs. Smith’s frozen apple pies. 
  • Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court. 

Schwan’s Consumer Brands misleads consumers about the primary shortening ingredient of its Mrs. Smith’s brand frozen apple pies, a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

Plaintiff Rachael Barnett claims Schwan’s falsely represents that the main shortening ingredient in the Mrs. Smith’s frozen apple pies is butter, when, in reality, it is palm oil. 

Barnett argues Schwan’s misleads consumers by stating on the front packaging for the frozen apple pies that its flaky crust is “Made With Real Butter.” 

The amount of butter in the Mrs. Smith’s frozen apple pies is actually “de minimis or negligible, in absolute and relative amounts to the shortening ingredients used,” the Schwan’s class action alleges. 

Barnett claims the frozen apple pie product “contains more soybean oil, water and salt than butter,even though butter is ahead of these ingredients.” 

“Butter is more costly than vegetable oil shortenings of palm oil and soybean oil, and the expectation of a greater amount of this ingredient was misleading,” the Schwan’s class action states. 

Schwan’s class action alleges company profits from misrepresentations

Barnett wants to represent an Illinois class and multistate consumer fraud class of individuals who have purchased Schwan’s Mrs. Smith’s frozen apple pies. 

Consumers ended up paying a higher price for the product than they otherwise would have had it not been for Schwan’s alleged false advertising, the Schwan’s class action alleges. 

Barnett claims Schwan’s is guilty of unjust enrichment, fraud and negligent representation and in violation of the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act, Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act and several state consumer fraud acts. 

She demands a jury trial and requests declaratory and injunctive relief along with an award of monetary, statutory and/or punitive damages for herself and all class members. 

This is not the first time this year Schwan’s has been in the news.

In March, Fairmont Foods recalled boxes of its Schwan’s brand spinach and artichoke dip over concerns the product had undeclared wheat and soy

Have you purchased Schwan’s Mrs. Smith’s frozen apple pies? Let us know in the comments! 

The plaintiff is represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates P.C. 

The Schwan’s Mrs. Smith’s brand frozen apple pies class action lawsuit is Barnett v. Schwan’s Consumer Brands Inc., Case No. 3:22-cv-02178, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.


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37 thoughts onSchwan’s class action alleges Mrs. Smith’s frozen apple pie falsely advertises amount of butter

  1. Terry says:

    Have purchased many times.

  2. Karen Harris says:

    Add me to the list

  3. Angela Jackson says:

    Please add me to ms smith’s apple pie lawsuit. Always buy this pie for my family.

  4. Gloria Meredyk says:

    Please add me. I have bought this pie many times.

  5. Michael Hunt says:

    We buy them often, please add me

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