Can You Join a Bertolli Class Action Lawsuit?

If you have purchased certain Bertolli olive oil products, you may be eligible to join a Bertolli class action lawsuit over false advertising claims.

A Bertolli class action lawsuit has been filed against Deoleo USA Inc. and Med Foods Inc., the manufacturers of Bertolli olive oil, claiming that some of their products are falsely labeled.

According to the Bertolli class action lawsuit, these products may be labeled as “Imported from Italy” and/or “Extra Virgin”. However, despite this clear labeling indicating that the product is from Italy and contains extra virgin olive oil, this is not actually the case, the Bertolli class action lawsuit alleges.

The plaintiff claims that the oils in these products are “not and never were ‘Imported from Italy.’ Instead, the olives are grown, and the oil is pressed, in various countries all over the world, including Tunisia, Turkey, Greece, Spain, Chile, and Australia.” While the oil is later blended and bottled in Italy, the oil itself comes from elsewhere.

The Bertolli class action lawsuit claims that the “Imported from Italy” label is used to deceive customers, encouraging them to buy a product that they may not have purchased had they known the oil itself was not from Italy. Indeed, the lawsuit claims, this labeling actually violates several laws.

According to the Bertolli class action lawsuit, “[s]tate and federal regulations forbid affixing the ‘Imported from Italy’ label to products that are merely blended or packaged in that country. Common sense also dictates that Turkish or Chilean olive oil does not somehow become ‘from Italy’ when shipped to Italy. Yet until after this case was filed, Deoleo systematically used this misrepresentation to dupe consumers into paying a premium for oil falsely labeled as Italian.”

In regards to the “Extra Virgin” label claim, the plaintiff claims that this, too, is misleading. First, the defendants allegedly mixed the extra virgin olive oil with refined oil. Second, the clear, non-ultraviolet bottles used for this product expose the oil to heat and sunlight, which causes oxidization, degradation, and degeneration, according to the Bertolli class action lawsuit.

The bottles used are “inferior,” the lawsuit claims. They don’t preserve the product—which is allegedly already mixed with refined oil—as extra virgin quality, the lawsuit notes.

You may be able to join the Bertolli class action lawsuit if you have purchased one of the following Bertolli products outside of the state of California:

• Bertolli Classico Olive Oil
• Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Bertolli Extra Light Olive Oil

This does not apply to products that also contain the following labeling: “Organic,” “Robusto,” “Gentile,” or “Fragrante.” Qualified purchases are those made between 2010 and 2015.

If you have purchased one of these Bertolli products outside of California and within the five-year time frame, you may be able to join this Bertolli class action lawsuit investigation.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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