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Topps, Panini Redemption Cards Class Action Lawsuits Overview:
- Who: Belinda Wheeler filed separate class action lawsuits against Panini America, Inc., and The Topps Company, Inc.
- Why: Wheeler claims redemption cards sold in trading card packs by Topps and Panini constitute an unlawful lottery.
- Where: The class action lawsuits were filed in New York and District of Columbia federal courts.
Redemption cards sold in trading card packs by Panini America and The Topps Company constitute an unlawful lottery and violate federal and state law, two new class action lawsuits allege.
Plaintiff Belinda Wheeler argued in separate complaints filed against Panini and Topps that redemption cards, which may come within a pack and allow a consumer to obtain a “random speciality card”,” constitute an “unlawful lottery” since non-purchasers are not given an option to enter.
“Federal and state law require that a contest which offers a chance at winning a thing of value permit any person to enter, regardless of whether they purchased the item in question,” the class action lawsuits state.
Wheeler claims the packaging for Topps and Panini brand trading cards highlights that they contain redemption cards; however, neither fails to display no purchase necessary (NPN) information in a “clear and conspicuous manner” as required by law.
“NPN instructions are required to be equally prominent to other methods of entry and cannot place a non-purchaser at a disadvantage relative to a purchaser,” the class action lawsuits state.
Topps, Panini Consumers Unaware They Don’t Legally Need To Purchase, Class Action Says
By failing to highlight NPN information, consumers are unaware that they would not legally need to purchase the product to obtain a redemption card, the class action lawsuits allege.
Further, Wheeler argues that a consumer would be unable to purchase and return the product to obtain the NPN instructions since returning packs of trading cards is not allowed.
“By requiring purchase of the Product and rendering it difficult to impossible for nonpurchasers to obtain the redemption cards, consumers are misled to purchase items they otherwise would not have to at higher prices,” the class action lawsuits state.
Wheeler argues consumers end up erroneously believing that the only way for them to enter a redemption card contest, and have an equal chance of winning, is by purchasing the trading card pack.
“Plaintiff did not have to purchase the Products to enter the contests, but due to the practices described here, was not given another reasonable option,” the class action lawsuits state.
Wheeler claims Topps and Panini are both guilty of unjust enrichment and in violation of, among other things, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and multiple state consumer fraud acts.
Wheeler wants to represent a District of Columbia class and multistate subclass of consumers who have purchased either Topps or Panini brand trading cards.
Plaintiff is demanding jury trials in both complaints and requesting injunctive relief along with monetary, statutory and/or punitive damages for themselves and all class members.
Have you purchased Topps and/or Panini brand trading cards? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by Scott C. Borison of Borison Firm, LLC,; Steffan T. Keeton of The Keeton Firm LLC; and Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates, P.C.
The Class Action Lawsuits are Wheeler v. Panini America, Inc., Case No. 1:22-cv-00763, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia; and Wheeler v. The Topps Company, Inc., Case No. 1:22-cv-02264, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
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633 thoughts onPanini Trading Cards, Topps Class Action Lawsuits Claim Redemption Cards An Unlawful Lottery
Add me been buying cards for 25 years and have so many unclaimed redemption cards I have thrown out.
Add me to the list
Add me
I purchase from them monthly. For the past 10years.
Add me I have 20 unfulfilled redemption.
Add me in, I’ve spent who knows how much with both of these companies.
I purchased from both companies.
I purchased both companies.
Someone should let him/her/them know you can actually write for it/them. It’s on the back of their packs.
The person who wrote this article has misrepresented the lawsuit. This lawsuit is related to the No Purchase Necessary “opportunity” that Panini and Topps often advertise on the outside of their sealed boxes, but the No Purchase Necessary information (write in to enter for a chance to win a random card from the company) only appears on the individual wrappers INSIDE the sealed box. If you have to purchase a sealed box of product in order obtain the No Purchase Necessary information that is an unlawful lottery. If you look at a lot of recent Panini and Topps boxes, you will see that the NPN information DOES NOT appear on the outside of the box. Instead, the NPN appears on the inside – printed on the wrappers. That means consumers have to pay to buy a box, open it up, read the wrapper, and THEN write in for the chance to win a free Panini or Topps card. When you have to purchase a product in order to obtain the NPN information that is an illegal lottery.
Every single topps box I have, and I have many, clearly states their NPN policy on them, so to say that topps only displays this info on packs inside boxes is wrong. Now panini is a different story and yes they only display on individual packs.
Add me
Add me. I’ve been waiting over 3330 days for 2 redemptions
The person who wrote this article has misrepresented the lawsuit. This lawsuit is related to the No Purchase Necessary “opportunity” that Panini and Topps often advertise on the outside of their sealed boxes, but the No Purchase Necessary information (write in to enter for a chance to win a random card from the company) only appears on the individual wrappers INSIDE the sealed box. If you have to purchase a sealed box of product in order obtain the No Purchase Necessary information that is an unlawful lottery. If you look at a lot of recent Panini and Topps boxes, you will see that the NPN information DOES NOT appear on the outside of the box. Instead, the NPN appears on the inside – printed on the wrappers. That means consumers have to pay to buy a box, open it up, read the wrapper, and THEN write in for the chance to win a free Panini or Topps card. When you have to purchase a product in order to obtain the NPN information that is an illegal lottery.
Please add me