LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – A Bermuda Dunes, California consumer alleges Crystal Light is misleadingly portrayed as "healthful fruit juice" instead of "sugar water."
William Albion, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated and the general public, filed a complaint on Oct. 2 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against The Kraft Heinz Co. over alleged violation of California's Consumers Legal Remedies Act, California's Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff purchased defendant's fruit-flavored Crystal Light beverage products. He alleges the products' labels "convey to the consumer that these are healthy, natural beverages, brimming with healthful fruit juices," the suit states.
However, plaintiff claims this representation is allegedly false as the products consist of "water, malic acids and contains none of the juice of the fruit the products are named for." He alleges the defendant "covers up the lack of actual fruit juice in the products by instead adding artificial flavoring but conceals this fact from consumers," the suit states.
The plaintiff holds The Kraft Heinz Co. responsible because the defendant allegedly concealed facts about its products by failing to disclose artificial flavoring ingredients on the front label of the products as required by law.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment for punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney fees, costs and such other and further relief as the court may deem just, equitable or proper. He is represented by Ronald A. Marron and Michael T. Houchin of Law Offices of Ronald A. Marron in San Diego, California.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California case number 5:18-cv-02101-JGB-SP