Lawsuit over juice stops deception that was OK with the FDA

What does it take for nearly all the members of the U.S. Supreme Court to agree on something?

How about the idea that Big Food can no longer use the FDA as an excuse to cheat us?

In an 8-0 decision, the court recently decided that a suit filed by the juice company Pom Wonderful against Coke may proceed. Pom is seeking to stop Coke’s Minute Maid brand from marketing a “pomegranate” juice blend that contains just a little tiny smidgen of actual pomegranates.

And that’s okay with the FDA.

Lower courts had already said the deception was fine, as long as Coke followed FDA labeling rules. But the Supreme Court took a different view.

It ruled that technical compliance with FDA regs doesn’t mean consumers still aren’t being misled.

And that might just make a lot of companies think twice before they attach phony names or claims to products.

For that, we can drink a toast to Pom. With some real pomegranate juice!

Sources:

“Court rules for Pom Wonderful in dispute with Coke” Associated Press, June 12, 2014, mynorthwest.com