Sued for false advertising. That’s the fate of Barilla in the US, where Oakland federal judge Donna Ryu rejected the company’s filing request and decided to pursue a class action.
The allegation is about the fact that Barilla calls its products “Italian pasta brand no.1”, when in fact – according to the same media – the pasta sold in the United States is not made in Italy, but in Iowa. The plaintiffs asked the court to stop Parilla from using proximity to Italy in its marketing and labels, as well as to award monetary damages, alleging that it overcharged products actually made in the United States.
Barilla — which now has an office in Illinois — would have proposed a motion to dismiss the class action, saying the brand is used to “recall the company’s Italian roots” and was not intended to mislead buyers.
Donna Ryu, however, rejected that motion, saying the lawsuit could continue, a decision that came after a similar lawsuit was filed against a Texas beet hot sauce maker after a California man learned the product wasn’t actually made in Texas. The company has not yet issued any statement.
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