IAMS Class Action Says ‘Grain Free’ Dog Food Is Mislabeled

A class action lawsuit claims that IAMS Proactive Health Sensitive Skin & Stomach Grain-Free Recipe with Chicken & Peas is falsely labeled as being free of grain and soy.

The IAMS class action lawsuit was filed by pet owners Arnold Fishon, Lilly Perez, and Tana Parker who say they purchased the IAMS Proactive Health Sensitive Skin & Stomach Grain Free Recipe with Chicken & Peas specifically because it was advertised as grain and soy free.

Contrary to the advertisements around the product, the customers allege that testing of the IAMS “grain free” dog food showed that it contains a significant amount of corn and soy.

The IAMS class action points to a 2018 study of 40 pet foods claiming to have certain ingredients. According to research testing, only 10 products accurately portrayed their labels.

“This 2018 study found that mislabeling was an especially widespread problem in pet foods used for ‘elimination diets’ (i.e. used to investigate food allergies),” the IAMS dog food class action states.

The plaintiffs say the advertisements around the IAMS dog food in question are centered on statements that the product contains “quality, easily digestible ingredients” that provide a dog with “healthy skin, a healthy coat, and strong bones,” in large part based on the lack of soy, wheat, and artificial preservatives.

The pet owners claim that IAMS specifically markets the product to customers who have dogs with grain and soy sensitivities, and who are willing to pay a premium for food that is tailored to their pets’ needs.

The IAMS grain and soy class action lawsuit says that customers are financially injured by Mars Petcare’s mislabeling of the products because they would not have purchased the food or would not have paid as much for it had they known it contained grain and soy.

Additionally, the customers say that Mars Petcare took advantage of this consumer preference to charge more for the dog food than other comparable foods.

The IAMS grain and soy class action lawsuit says that in addition to financial injury, the mislabeling of IAMS food puts dogs at risk for health problems and allergic reactions.

To support their claim that the IAMS food contains grain and soy despite labeling and advertisements that state otherwise, the customers also point to a second 2018 study that was conducted in Europe.

This particular study found that at least 54 percent of dog food products contained ingredients that did not conform to their labeling and suggested that other studies found the percentage to be much higher at 80 percent not conforming.

The IAMS class action lawsuit says that “the study suggested that the high rate of cross-contamination in dietic limited-antigen wet canine and feline foods may be due to inadequate quality-control practices in the pet food industry.”

Have you ever purchased a dog food that you worried was mislabeled as grain or soy free?

The customers are represented by Lisa A. White, Gregory F. Coleman, Adam Edwards, and Justin Day of Greg Coleman Law PC; Gary E. Mason, Danielle L. Perry, and J. Hunter Bryson of Whitfield Bryson & Mason LLP; Jonathan Shub of Kohn Swift & Graf PC, Jeffrey S. Goldenberg of Goldenberg Schneider LPA; Charles E. Schaffer of Levin Sedran & Berman LLP;  and by Philip Friedman of Friedman Law Offices.

The IAMS Proactive Health Sensitive Skin & Stomach Grain Free Dog Food Class Action Lawsuit is Arnold Fishon, et al. v. Mars Petcare US Inc., Case No. 3:19-cv-00816, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division.

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