Annie’s Class Action Says Salad Dressing Falsely Advertised as ‘Natural’

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A class action alleging Annie’s Homegrown Inc., and its parent company, General Mills, falsely advertises its salad dressings as “natural” when the products contain a synthetic ingredient was filed in California federal court.

Lead plaintiff Janell Johnson Campbell claims Annie’s salad dressings contain xanthan gum, but the company labels the products as “natural,” which deceives consumers. Xanthan gum, alleges the plaintiff, is synthetic and thickens the product.

The plaintiff says she is “a health-conscious consumer” and purchased several Annie’s Naturals dressings this year because of the “natural” label on the product and representations that the dressings did not contain artificial flavors, synthetic colors or synthetic preservatives.

Campbell claims she was disappointed to find out that the salad dressings included xanthan gum and therefore were not all natural.

According to the Annie’s class action lawsuit, xanthan gum has been identified as a synthetic ingredient by U.S. agencies. It is created by fermenting bacteria, says the complaint, and then sterilized with isopropyl alcohol and dried for commercial use as a thickening agent.

“Neither Plaintiff nor any reasonable consumer would expect to find synthetic ingredients in Products labeled ‘Natural,’” alleges the Annie’s salad dressing class action. “Furthermore, neither Plaintiff nor any reasonable consumer when reviewing the label of the Products would know nor should know that Xanthan Gum is not natural, even though Defendants include it on the reverse ingredients list of the Products.”

Campbell alleges that she and other consumers would not have purchased or paid as much for Annie’s Naturals salad dressings if they had known the product contains a synthetic ingredient.

“Knowing that reasonable consumers like plaintiff are increasingly interested in purchasing healthy food products that do not contain potentially harmful artificial, synthetic ingredients, defendants have sought to take advantage of this growing market by labeling certain products as ‘natural,’” alleges the Annie’s Naturals class action lawsuit. “By affixing such a label to the packaging of the products, defendants expect to entice consumers like plaintiff to pay a premium for the products.”

Annie’s Naturals has been hit hard this summer with another class action filed in August of this year alleging that the company misrepresents the amount of fruit in its Summer Strawberry Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks as well as the nutritional value of the product.

Campbell seeks to represent a nationwide Class of consumers who have purchased Annie’s Naturals products, including personal, household and family items, since 2011. The class action lawsuit alleges Annie’s Naturals violated California state consumer protection and advertising laws, committed negligent and intentional misrepresentation and breach of warranty.

The plaintiff is seeking damages on behalf of herself and the proposed Class as well as a court order stopping Annie’s from advertising its products as natural without synthetic additives.

Campbell is represented by John W. Davis and Charles M. Thompson.

The Annie’s Natural Salad Dressing Class Action Lawsuit is Janell Campbell v. Annie’s Homegrown Inc., et al., Case No. 3:17­cv­01736, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.