Walmart class action alleges Great Value Organic Raw Honey falsely advertised

Walmart class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: Plaintiff John Wertymer filed a class action lawsuit against Walmart Inc.
• Why: Walmart allegedly mislabels its Great Value brand Organic Raw Honey and charges a premium for honey that is allegedly neither “raw” nor “organic.”
• Where: The Walmart honey class action lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court.

Walmart Inc.’s Great Value-brand Organic Raw Honey is not actually “raw” or “organic,” according to a false advertising class action lawsuit filed Oct. 10 in Illinois federal court.

The class action lawsuit explains that raw honey is a natural product produced by honeybees. Consumers value raw honey due to the presence of nutritional proteins, enzymes, amino acids and organic acids.

However, plaintiff John Wertymer says Walmart Great Value honey is excessively heated during processing and cannot be considered “raw.” When raw honey is heated at a temperature greater than 105 degrees, the beneficial enzymes are destroyed, according to the Walmart class action lawsuit.

Wertymer also alleges that the Walmart honey contains a type of added sweetener that is regularly found in industrial sugars. Therefore, he says the product cannot be considered “raw” or “organic.”

Walmart class action says retailer charged premium for mislabeled organic raw honey

Walmart knew the product was neither raw nor organic, yet it allegedly misled consumers into paying a premium price for the product, the plaintiff claims, saying he paid a premium price for the Walmart honey because he expected it to be raw and organic. 

Because the only listed ingredient on the back label is “organic raw honey,” consumers would have no way of knowing that the Walmart Great Value honey was mislabeled.

Wertymer filed the Walmart class action lawsuit on behalf of himself and a proposed nationwide class of persons and entities who purchased Great Value Organic Raw Honey or Raw Honey products during the applicable limitations period, and a class of persons and entities who purchased the products in Illinois.

The Walmart Great Value lawsuit asserts claims for violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act and fraudulent misrepresentation.

Honey is reportedly one of the world’s most faked foods, and manufacturers have been hit with legal action for misleading consumers about the quality of their products.

Have you purchased Great Value Organic Raw Honey? Tell us what you think of the Walmart class action allegations in the comments.

Wertymer is represented by Clinton A. Krislov and Matthew G. Norgard of Krislov & Associates Ltd., Kent A. Heitzinger of Kent Heitzinger & Associates, and Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC.

The Walmart honey class action lawsuit is John Wertymer v. Walmart Inc., Case No. 1:23-cv-14700, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

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