When it comes to mitigating the risk of class action lawsuits, the best offense is a good defense. Companies can take many steps to reduce their exposure to class action litigation before it happens, including the tactics...more
In a deep sea of consumer fraud and deceptive packaging litigation, glimpses of reason are starting to emerge in the slack fill space, suggesting that these cases may (finally) be on the decline....more
Slack Fill Decision Cites Shook Attorneys’ Article An opinion issued by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri has cited Shook Partners Cary Silverman and Jennifer Artman’s Missouri Bar Journal article...more
A trio of recent cases challenging disparate food and beverage labels offers a few common substantive and procedural lessons for companies. First, the back panels – when considered in light of U.S. Food and Drug...more
Federal Made in U.S.A. Rule - In June 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) adopted its final rule for using “Made in U.S.A.” or any variation of that statement, including the U.S. flag. While this rule imposes no new...more
In the February edition of the Food & Beverage Digest, our roundup of court cases and regulations affecting the food, beverage, agribusiness, and cosmetics industries, a vanilla suit survives a motion to dismiss, a heavy...more
Bunny v. Smaug - Did Annie’s smack down a snack-box slack-fill strike suit? ...more
Over the past several years, federal courts have rarely allowed slack-fill class actions to survive beyond the motion to dismiss phase. Whether the plaintiffs allege that the packaging is misleading or that the slack-fill is...more
Welcome to the latest edition of the Food & Beverage Digest, our roundup of court cases and settlements affecting the food, beverage, agribusiness, and cosmetics industries. This month, plaintiffs bang their heads...more
In a case regarding slack fill claims by a class of purchasers of Barilla branded pasta, the Second Circuit has issued a decision with implications for class-action cases going forward. The Court held that the District Court...more
FDA Enters New Phase Of FSVP Enforcement - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has entered a new phase of enforcement for the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) regulation, the legally required due...more
Last week, the Second Circuit issued an important published decision holding that previously injured consumers who seek to challenge product labeling lack constitutional standing to pursue claims for injunctive relief, and...more
FDA Issues New Rule Regarding Calorie Type Size Requirement on Vending Machine Products - On October 25, 2019, the FDA issued a final rule revising the type size requirements for calorie labeling on foods sold in vending...more
Perkins Coie is pleased to present its fourth annual Food Litigation Year in Review, summarizing important developments in consumer litigation affecting the food and beverage industry. Filings against the food and beverage...more
In a multidistrict litigation accusing McCormick & Co. of deceptively underfilling the pepper it sells in grinders and tins, a D.C. federal judge preliminarily approved a $2.5 million class settlement last week. Consumers...more
2019 … Slack-Fill Class Actions. Last year at this time, slack-fill class actions appeared dead. But in 2019, some of the plaintiffs' bar's biggest wins came in slack-fill class actions, with several resulting in class...more
As of August 2019, overall food litigation filings are on pace with those of last year. California and New York remain the two most popular jurisdictions for food litigation matters. While California filings in 2019 are...more
Welcome to the latest edition of the Food & Beverage Digest, our roundup of court cases and settlements affecting the agribusiness, food, beverage, and cosmetics industry. Here you’ll find information about cases...more
On July 10, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued a significant opinion examining when food manufacturers accused of improperly using “non-functional slack fill” may be subject to class action litigation. See In Re:...more
Welcome to the latest edition of the Food & Beverage Digest, our roundup of court cases and settlements affecting the agribusiness, food, beverage, and cosmetics industry. Here you’ll find information about cases ranging...more
It’s hard to argue that New York’s consumer-protection laws (Gen. Bus. Law §§ 349–350) are being underutilized by private plaintiffs. But, on that claimed basis, the state’s Legislature is considering a multifaceted...more
Speak of the Devil and he doth appear. Today, it’s just a figure of speech. In medieval England, by contrast, people meant it literally—as a warning that uttering the Prince of Darkness’s name would conjure his evil...more
California’s food and consumer product companies recently got some welcome relief from the onerous provisions of California’s slack-fill law, Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 12606. This law, which has been the basis of an increasing...more
It was another active year in 2018 for class action litigation targeting the food, beverage and supplement industries. A cross-practice team from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner has authored a roundup of the most notable...more
CBD, FSMA, Class Actions Among Topics at GMA Conference - Class action litigation, the legal landscape for cannabis and the evolving implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) were trending topics at the...more