Class Action Lawsuit Targets Puritan’s Pride Supplements

In October 2016, a class action lawsuit targeting Puritan’s Pride Supplements ─ an online retailer of vitamins, minerals, and herbal remedies ─ was filed in U.S. District Court.

Sharpe v. Puritan’s Pride was originally filed in Mendocino County by two California residents and then moved to the Northern District of California in November.

The plaintiffs allege the advertising of Puritan’s Pride supplements has violated the spirit of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Code of Federal Regulations Guides Against Deceptive Pricing.

The lawsuit’s complaints surround Puritan’s Pride Supplements’ misuse of the word “free” when making special offers.

Puritan’s Pride Supplements Alleged to Violate Truth-in-Advertising Laws

The FTC Guide Against Deceptive Pricing has this to say about using the word “free” when advertising special pricing or sales:

“Frequency of offers. So that a Free offer will be special and meaningful, a single size of a product or a single kind of service should not be advertised with a Free offer in a trade area for more than six months in any 12-month period.

At least 30 days should elapse before another such offer is promoted in the same trade area. No more than three such offers should be made in the same area in any 12-month period.

In such period, the offeror’s sale in that area of the product in the size promoted with a Free offer should not exceed 50 percent of the total volume of his sales of the product, in the same size, in the area.”

The plaintiffs in this class action lawsuit claim they and others are the victim of deceptive advertising practices on the part of the online retailer of vitamins, minerals, and herbs.

Both women named in this case bought several items from Puritan’s Pride supplements, believing they were getting either a “buy one, get one free” deal – more commonly known as a BOGO – or a “buy one, get two free” deal that would last for a limited time only.

The plaintiffs’ accusations in the lawsuit state that over a four-year period, the company continued to run the same advertisement unabated. In fact, they say, there was no real “limited time” for the offered discount, contrary to what the company’s advertisements said.

In addition to believing federal truth-in-advertising laws have been violated, the California residents believe that their state-based consumer protection laws were broken by false advertising.

They complain they were Puritan’s Pride supplements to believe there was an everyday regular price that was significantly higher.

The documentation cites alleged violation of several California laws, but also the consumer protection laws of close to 40 other states as a draw.

If you feel you have been misled by Puritan’s Pride Supplements and their alleged special offers online, take a moment to consult with a consumer protection lawyer. You many qualify to join this or another legal action.

Join a Puritan’s Pride Deceptive Marketing Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you purchased vitamins or supplements from Puritan’s Pride anywhere in the nation that were part of a “Buy One Get One Free” offer or a similar promotion, you may qualify to join this Puritan’s Pride class action lawsuit investigation.

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