LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – Several U.S. residents are suing Walmart over claims it misrepresents its store-brand Parmesan cheese.
Cindy Bustamante, Rita Schmoll and Barbara Reinbott, individually and for all others similarly situated, filed a class-action lawsuit Feb. 24 in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Wal-Mart Stores and Wal-Mart Stores East, alleging breach of warranty, unjust enrichment and violations of consumer protection statutes in California, New Jersey and North Carolina.
The suit states Walmart sells its store-brand "Great Value 100 percent Grated Parmesan Cheese" in Walmart stores in every U.S. state.
The suit alleges, however, that this product is not 100 percent cheese but in fact consists of at least 7.8 percent cellulose, a filler and anti-clumping agent derived from wood pulp.
The plaintiffs and others in the class seek injunctive and declaratory relief, equitable relief, treble damages, interests and attorney fees and costs. They are represented by attorney Todd M. Friedman of the Law Office of Todd M. Friedman in Beverly Hills, California; attorney Stephen P. DeNittis of DeNittis Osefchen in Marlton, New Jersey; and attorney Derek T. Braslow of Pogust Braslow Millrood in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Case number 2:16-cv-01265-GW-AS