How a TINA.org Reader Tip Led to a Record Penalty for False Made in USA Claims
FTC says civil penalty against Williams-Sonoma is “the largest ever in a Made in USA case.”
December 2014: A federal judge granted final approval of the settlement agreement.
July 2014: In July 2014, a federal judge preliminarily approved a $6.1 million settlement to the class-action lawsuit filed against Cargill, Inc. According to the settlement terms, class members may receive either a cash refund or a voucher for Truvia® products. The value of the refund or voucher will depend on several factors, including the type and number of the Truvia® products purchased by the class member. The company also agreed to make changes to the product labels and website, including the addition of an explanation of the ingredients in the product. A final fairness hearing is scheduled for October 27, 2014.
This settlement resolves two lawsuits filed against the company. For more information about the other lawsuit, click here.
July 2013: A class-action lawsuit was filed against Cargill, Inc., the company that markets and sells Truvia® Natural Sweetener, over deceptive advertising allegations. The plaintiffs claim, among other things, that Cargill misrepresented that Truvia is a natural sweetener primarily made from the stevia plant when, in reality, Truvia is predominantly made up of a synthetic ingredient with only a miniscule amount of Reb A (the stevia plant-derived ingredient), which itself is harshly chemically purified. (Howerton et al. v. Cargill, Inc., Case No. 13-cv-00336, D. Hi.)
For more information about other class-action lawsuits regarding Truvia® sweeteners and TINA.org’s coverage of the product, click here.
For more information about other class-action lawsuits filed against Cargill and TINA.org’s coverage of the company, click here.
FTC says civil penalty against Williams-Sonoma is “the largest ever in a Made in USA case.”
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Got milk? Apparently not.
Flag on the play.