Consumers Challenge Tuna Content in Subway Tuna Sandwiches

A putative class action has alleged that Subway Restaurants Inc. sells tuna products that “do not contain any tuna nor have any ingredient that constitutes tuna”—the products “are completely bereft of tuna as an ingredient,” according to the complaint. Dhanowa v. Subway Restaurants Inc., No. 21-0498 (N.D. Cal., filed January 21, 2021). “As independent testing has repeatedly affirmed, the Products are made from anything but tuna,” the complaint asserts. “On the contrary, the Products are made from a mixture of various concoctions that do not constitute tuna, yet have been blended together by Defendants to imitate the appearance of tuna. Defendants identified, labeled and advertised the Products as ‘tuna’ to consumers, when in fact they were not tuna. Yet, Defendants have systematically and consistently continued to label and advertise the Products as ‘tuna.'” The complaint does not note what the Subway products are purportedly composed of if not tuna. The plaintiffs allege violations of California’s consumer-protection statutes as well as fraud, misrepresentation and unjust enrichment.