Consumers of Quaker Oats in New York and California have filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo Inc.'s Quaker Oats for making false advertisement claims. The said case says that the brand's signature product has elements of possible carcinogen which is not listed on the label as an ingredient.
In documents filed in court, the consumers claim that Quaker Oats oatmeal contains glyphosate, an herbicide which was declared by the World Health Organization last year as a potential carcinogen, although a committee from the Environmental Protection Agency disagreed.
The committee claimed that oat farmers use the chemical substance as a drying agent and a weed killer which they spray before harvesting their crop.
Although the lawsuit says there is nothing unlawful with the company's use of glyphosate, the consumers claim the product's "100 Percent Natural" label and promise, which listed rolled oats and natural grain as the main ingredient, are misleading.
The lawsuit which is seeking class-action status stated: "Defendant aggressively advertises and promotes its oatmeal products as '100% Natural,' and claims its oats are grown using 'eco-friendly' methods that pose 'less risk of pollutants and groundwater pollution."
"These claims are false, deceptive, and misleading," added the lawsuit.
"There is nothing unlawful about Quaker Oats' growing and processing methods," continued the suit. "What is unlawful is Quaker's claim that Quaker Oats is something that it is not in order to capitalize on growing consumer demand for healthful, natural products," the document added.
Attorneys for the New York consumers said that health conscious customers want to buy whole, natural foods which do not contain potentially dangerous chemicals. They are willing to pay more for such foods that they know are sourced naturally.
"By deceiving consumers about the nature, quality, and/or ingredients of its Quaker Oats, Quaker is able to sell a greater volume of Quaker Oats, to charge higher prices for Quaker Oats, and to take away market share from competing products," the lawyers added.
Sources:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-blm-quaker-oats-5ffb2fd8-109a-11e6-a9b5-bf703a5a7191-20160502-story.html
https://www.rt.com/usa/341631-glyphosate-quaker-oats-lawsuit/
