Your favorite comfort food is about to face legal action due to allegedly false statements made on its packaging. A class action lawsuit against Kraft Heinz for its Mac & Cheese is moving forward after a Chicago judge's ruling on Wednesday. The suit alleges that despite Kraft Mac & Cheese's packaging stating it contains "No Artificial Flavors, Preservatives or Dyes," the macaroni and cheese product does in fact contain preservatives.
Plaintiffs from Illinois, California, and New York allege that the boxes from Kraft contain a synthetic form of citric acid and sodium phosphates and that these ingredients function as preservatives. Food companies play fast and loose with their terminology to make artificial preservatives sound natural or even , so there could be something to this lawsuit. Unsurprisingly, Kraft Heinz sought a dismissal for the lawsuit and maintained that its product does not contain any artificial preservatives, artificial flavors, or dyes.
"We stand fully behind our product and are proud of its quality," the company said . "We strongly believe that this lawsuit has no merit and look forward to our day in court." The lawsuit is seeking damages for fraud, unjust enrichment, and violations of state consumer protection laws.
However, the judge noted that the plaintiffs of the lawsuit were not justified in demanding that Kraft Heinz create new labels for its Mac & Cheese. The judge explained this was because the plaintiffs were now aware of the allegedly false adver.
