Yogi Tea class action alleges echinacea tea contains pesticides

Yogi Tea class action overview: 

• Who: Plaintiff Marie Katz filed a class action lawsuit against East West Tea Co., known as Yogi Tea. 
• Why: Yogi Tea claims to improve immune system health but actually contains pesticides, the lawsuit alleges.
• Where: The Yogi Tea class action was filed in federal court in New York.

A new class action lawsuit against Yogi Tea alleges that the company’s products contain pesticides, in spite of claims that its tea boosts immune health.

The lawsuit comes after Yogi recalled 54,846 packs of Organic Yogi Echinacea Immune Support, Caffeine Herbal Supplement tea products with multiple lot codes after pesticide residues were detected above action levels set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The recall included more than 877,000 tea bags in total.

Customers are predisposed to throw away the product, not return it to its original place of purchase for a refund, the lawsuit claims.

“This recall was deliberately designed to preclude the vast majority of consumers from receiving a recall,” the Yogi tea class action says. “… most consumers do not maintain receipts and therefore cannot obtain a refund at the purchase location for the recalled Product.”

Class action: Yogi Tea marketing is deceptive, dangerous

Yogi Tea’s advertising and marketing does not include information that the tea contains pesticides, leading a reasonable consumer to believe they are purchasing a product that does not contain dangerous substances, the lawsuit claims.

That makes the marketing campaign false, misleading, deceptive and dangerous to consumers, according to the lawsuit.

“Consumers expect the ingredient listing on the packaging and labels to accurately disclose the contents within the Product,” the Yogi Tea class action says.

Yogi Tea’s claims and omission of information on pesticides led customers to pay more than they otherwise would have, the lawsuit says.

The proposed class includes all of those who purchased the recalled Yogi Tea in the United States along with a New York subclass.

Have you purchased Yogi Tea? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Jason P. Sultzer, Joseph Lipari and Daniel Markowitz of Sultzer & Lipari PLLC along with Nick Suciu III of Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman PLLC.

The Yogi Tea class action lawsuit is Kaatz v. East West Tea Co. d/b/a Yogi Tea, Case No. 7:24-cv-03996, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Kraft Mac & Cheese class action filed over ‘no preservatives’ label
• Panera hit with third lawsuit over Charged Lemonade
• Martinelli’s recall issued for apple juice due to arsenic contamination
• Prime Hydration class action alleges energy drinks contain higher-than-advertised amounts of caffeine