A federal court in New Jersey has found that most of the named plaintiffs in putative class actions consolidated in a multidistrict litigation (MDL) proceeding lack standing to pursue claims that General Mills, Inc. violated consumer fraud laws by claiming that its Cheerios cereal products reduce cholesterol, the risk of heart disease and certain forms of cancer. In re Cheerios Mktg. & Sales Practices Litig., No. 09-2413 (D.N.J., decided September 10, 2012) (unpublished). Under a choice-of-laws analysis, the court found that California, New Jersey and New York law applied to the claims and thus dismissed four counts alleging violations of Minnesota law. The court also found that most of the named plaintiffs consumed the cereal for reasons other than health benefits, did not know what the cereal cost or had not read the product labels. Accordingly, the court granted the company’s motion for summary judgment as to five of the named plaintiffs. The New York plaintiff, who did purchase the cereal for its purported health benefits and did know what the product cost, remains in the case.

About The Author

For decades, manufacturers, distributors and retailers at every link in the food chain have come to Shook, Hardy & Bacon to partner with a legal team that understands the issues they face in today's evolving food production industry. Shook attorneys work with some of the world's largest food, beverage and agribusiness companies to establish preventative measures, conduct internal audits, develop public relations strategies, and advance tort reform initiatives.

Close