Brigette Honaker  |  July 7, 2020

Category: Food

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Kraft shredded cheese

Kraft faces a class action lawsuit claiming the milk used in their cheese products comes from cows that are given artificial growth hormones.

Plaintiffs Sylvia Koh and David Green recently filed a class action lawsuit against the Kraft Heinz Company, claiming the food manufacturer intentionally misleads consumers into believing that they use milk without growth hormones. This allegedly deceived consumers into purchasing the products and even paying a higher price based on the lack of growth hormones.

The plaintiffs challenge the labeling of several Kraft cheese products including Kraft’s Shredded Sharp Cheddar, Shredded Mild Cheddar, Shredded Mexican Style Four Cheese, Mozzarella Shredded, Mozzarella String Cheese, Shredded Parmesan Cheese, Parmesan Finely Shredded, and Havarti sliced Products labeled “Natural Cheese.”

Together, the plaintiffs claim to have purchased these products between 2012 and 2020. During these times, they were allegedly misled by claims that the products were “natural.”

Growth hormones in dairy products such as milk and cheese are a concern to many consumers, due to the potential consequences these hormones can have on human health. Some of the hormones found in milk are naturally produced by the dairy cows themselves. Others may be artificial hormones, such as a synthetic recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBST), given to cows to encourage more milk production.

Unfortunately, rBST and other artificial growth hormones have been repeatedly linked to health consequences such as early puberty and cancer. Although some of these risks have been disproven and others remain in doubt, consumers are still prone to avoiding rBST and other artificial hormones for the health of themselves and their children.

“Consumers are concerned that the use of artificial growth hormones in animals raised for food is inhumane and contributes to health problems both for the animals and for the humans who consume the food,” the Kraft class action lawsuit notes.

According to the Kraft cheese class action lawsuit, Kraft Heinz knew that consumers were more likely to purchase products without growth hormones. In an attempt to “capture this growing market,” Kraft reportedly announced in January 2019 that “KRAFT Natural Cheese is Now Made from Milk without the Artificial Hormone rbST.”

“Kraft knows that consumers seek out and wish to buy dairy products made from cows raised without the use of rbST,” the plaintiffs argue. “Kraft also knows that consumers will pay more for such products than they will for products made with artificial hormones.”

However, these allegations are reportedly misleading, since many of the products are still made with milk from cows that are given rBST. Consumers purchasing these “Type B” products were allegedly misled by Kraft’s representations.

Even in the case of the “Type A” products now made without the use of added synthetic hormones, the plaintiffs argue that they and other consumers were misled by previous claims that the products were “natural.” According to the Kraft class action lawsuit, the cheese products could not have been natural due to the presence of rBST.

“There is nothing natural about the use of rbST in dairy production,” the plaintiffs argue. “Kraft knows that rbST is artificial.”

Kraft cowsIn their Kraft class action lawsuit, Koh and Green continue in claiming that “Kraft thus knew, or should have known, the facts demonstrating that the Products were mislabeled and falsely advertised.”

Both Koh and Green argue that they were misled by Kraft’s misrepresentations and were deceived into purchasing the products and paying higher prices.

As a result, they claim that they and other consumers were financially injured by the company’s deceptive marketing.

The plaintiffs seek to represent a Class of consumers who purchased Kraft cheese while the products contained rBST. They also seek to represent several subclasses including consumers who purchased Type B products, consumers who purchased any of the products while in California, and consumers who purchased Type B products while in California.

On behalf of themselves and these proposed Class Members, the plaintiffs seek disgorgement, monetary damages, statutory damages, punitive damages, court costs, and attorneys’ fees. They also seek relief from the court prohibiting Kraft from continuing with any future unlawful advertisement of their cheese products.

Have you purchased Kraft Natural Cheese products? Did you believe these products contained cheese without artificial growth hormones? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Plaintiffs and the proposed Class are represented by Jaimie Mak and Kim E. Richman of Richman Law Group.

The Kraft Cheese Class Action Lawsuit is Sylvia Koh, et al. v. The Kraft Heinz Company, Case No. 3:20-cv-04425, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

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415 thoughts onKraft Class Action Lawsuit Says Cheese Contains Artificial Growth Hormones

  1. Paula Stafford says:

    Please add me. Kraft let down

  2. Bharati Jain says:

    Add me

  3. Valery beffert says:

    Please add me to the kraft cheese class action lawsuit. Its the only kind of cheese I ever bought. I’m horrified. I would never have given my kids this had I known. Awful!!!

  4. Rhonda brown says:

    Add me

  5. cassandra manuel alfred says:

    Add me please

  6. Wendy Loomis says:

    Please add me.

  7. Debbie J Wren says:

    Please add me.

  8. Patricia Jester says:

    Add me please

  9. Kay Pistone says:

    I never buy Kraft products. However last week my supermarket was out of my cheese and Kraft was buy one get one,so I thought I would try it. Taste like dyed plastic. The package is deceiving. States no Rbst hormone.Add me please

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