Florida Woman Sues Kraft Heinz Foods Company for $5 Million Over Alleged Velveeta Shells & Cheese Preparation Time Misrepresentation
This lawsuit highlights the practice of presenting products or services in a misleading manner—exaggerating benefits, concealing information, or, in some cases, outright lying about their features. The consequences of deceptive advertising not only harm consumers but also damage brand reputations and create distrust in the marketplace.
According to Statista, 56.4% of internet users worldwide express concern about not knowing what is true or false. These statistics suggest that almost everyone has fallen victim to deceptive advertising or fake news at some point, regardless of the medium used to disseminate the information.
Woman Sues Kraft Heinz
Amanda Ramírez, a resident of Hialeah, Florida, filed a class-action lawsuit on November 18 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit claims that the Velveeta Shells & Cheese microwave cups, which the packaging claims can be ready in 3½ minutes, actually take longer to prepare than stated.
The product’s packaging promises a 3½-minute preparation time. However, according to Ramírez, this timeframe does not account for additional steps required to prepare the meal, such as removing the lid, adding water, microwaving, and stirring the product.
These additional steps extend the preparation process beyond the stated 3½ minutes. Ramírez’s attorneys argue that this constitutes false and misleading advertising.
Ramírez’s legal team also alleges that Kraft Heinz is unjustly profiting through deceptive advertising. They argue that the product’s price is higher than it would be if consumers were aware of the actual preparation time.
“Ramírez, like many consumers, tries to stretch her grocery budget as much as possible,” the lawsuit states.
The woman claims she paid more for the product based on the advertised preparation time. She seeks punitive damages and demands that the company cease its deceptive advertising and launch a corrective advertising campaign.
In response, Kraft Heinz stated that they will vigorously defend against what they described as a frivolous lawsuit. A company spokesperson told CNN that they are aware of the lawsuit and plan to fight the allegations firmly.
Consumer Lawsuits on the Rise
Consumer lawsuits against brands are increasingly common. A recent example is the class-action lawsuit against Netflix for platform failures during the live-streamed fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul.
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