SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - The maker of Arizona-brand drinks faces a class action lawsuit for calling its products "all natural."
Plaintiff Thomas Iglesias filed the lawsuit March 21 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Hornell Brewing, alleging violation of the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, the California False Advertising Law and the California Unfair Competition Law.
Iglesias has bought several bottles of Much Mango Fruit Juice Cocktail since 2017 and says he wouldn't have or wouldn't have paid as much had he known "all natural" claims weren't accurate.
His lawyers at The Clarkson Law Firm say Hornell is taking advantage of consumers' desire for natural products. Ingredients added for coloring prevent Hornell from claiming its drinks are all natural under Food and Drug Administration rules, the suit says.
"Defendant's conduct stifles competition, has a negative impact on the marketplace and reduces consumer choice," the suit says.
"There is no practical reason for the false or misleading labeling and advertising of the products, other than to mislead consumers as to the actual ingredients of the products being purchased by consumers while simultaneously providing Defendant with a financial windfall as a result of money saved from lower supply costs."