UK High Court Bars Chobani from Using “Greek” Yogurt Label

According to a news source, U.K. High Court Justice Michael Briggs has
ordered New York-based Chobani to change its “Greek” yogurt labels, finding
that they mislead more than 50 percent of British consumers into believing
that it was made in Greece. Company rival Fage brought the lawsuit to
“restrain Chobani from passing off its American-made yoghurt in England and
Wales under the description Greek yoghurt.” The court apparently determined
that “the very small print used on the rear of Chobani’s pots” stating that the
products are made in the United States was “nowhere near sufficient” to alert
people to their true origin. Chobani claimed that the “Greek” designation was
a reference to how the product is made and not to its country of origin.

Danone, which also makes the thickened, strained yogurt products, reportedly
indicated that it was considering the implications of the ruling; it was
temporarily barred in the U.K. from using the “Greek” yogurt designation on its
products earlier this year. Additional details about the Danone action and the
Fage v. Chobani litigation appear in Issue 471 of this Update. See Metro, March
26, 2013; Telegraph and DairyReporter.com, March 28, 2013.