Some people have WAAAAAY too much time on their hands to research something like this THEN start a class action suit? Well, brace yourself … Honey Bunches of Oats are NOT actually sweetened with honey (I hope you took your blood pressure meds before we revealed this life-shocking news)
A Honey Bunches of Oats class action lawsuit claims that Post Consumer Brands LLC engages in false and misleading marketing and omits critical information (Editors Note: “Critical?” as if someone’s life depends on the cereal being sweetened with honey?) about the nutrition profile of the cereal such that consumers don’t have all the information they need to make an informed decision. (Um, how about NO processed foods?)
Plaintiffs Anita Lima and Susan Wrublewski say branding of this cereal makes it seem as though honey is the primary or a significant sweetener used inside, but an analysis of the product shows that processed materials like corn syrup and sugar are used instead.
The Honey Bunches of Oats class action lawsuit alleges that the plaintiffs and other consumers suffered harm because they paid more for the cereal under the impression that the product was mostly sweetened with honey.
The class action lawsuit against the Honey Bunches of Oats manufacturer points out that in 2017, that particular product was the third biggest seller of all pre-made breakfast cereals.
The Honey Bunches of Oats class action lawsuit provides examples of the labels included on the branding, indicating that consumers would reasonably assume that honey was a major sweetener used.
The plaintiffs, however, say they discovered that honey is not even a significant sweetener in the product, and that processed materials and sugars make up the bulk of sweetening agents inside Honey Bunches of Oats.
The Honey Bunches of Oats class action lawsuit claims that the plaintiffs and other consumers were harmed after purchasing the product on a regular basis under the assumption that it was sweetened with honey and not artificial sweeteners or sugar.
The Post cereal class action lawsuit says that the value of purchased boxed of Honey Bunches of Oats is much less than what consumers paid because of this misrepresentation.
The Honey Bunches of Oats class action lawsuit seeks to represent a nationwide Class of consumers who bought the product for family, household, or personal purposes after Oct. 6, 2012.
Further, the Post cereal class action lawsuit seeks to represent an injunctive relief Class, a multistate warranty Class, and a multistate UDAP Class.
The Honey Bunches of Oats cereal class action lawsuit says that certification of these Classes will be necessary since there are likely millions of affected consumers given the sales success of Honey Bunches of Oats.
The consumers argue in their proposed Honey Bunches of Oats class action that the quest for healthier food means that buyers rely on the marketing materials promoted by a company to make a final decision about what to buy. When those marketing materials are misleading or false, allege the consumers, buyers are harmed.
The Honey Bunches of Oats class action lawsuit also alleges breach of Minnesota consumer protection laws, unjust enrichment, and breach of warranty on the part of the manufacturer of the cereal.
The plaintiffs are represented by Kenneth D. Quat of Quat Law Offices and Michael R. Reese and Carlos F. Ramirez of Reese LLP.
The Honey Bunches of Oats Class Action Lawsuit is Lima, et al. v. Post Consumer Brands LLC, Case No. 1:18-cv-12100, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
