Trader Joe’s Lawsuit Over “Low Acid” Coffee Caffeine Claims

A lawsuit alleges Trader Joe's Low Acid French Roast coffee misrepresents its caffeine content, misleading consumers who rely on caffeine for energy. The suit claims organized and noticeable mislabeling and deceptive marketing.

Details of the Lawsuit

The complainants are hoping to quit the chain’s, “unlawful sales and marketing of its Item,” while also looking for undefined, “problems they sustained as a result of the deceitful sales and misleading advertising.”

Consumer Reliance on Caffeine

“This is a product misrepresentation. It is so typical that it is now cliché that coffee drinkers depend upon the caffeine consisted of therein to supply them with the power they require to get through the day,” the suit claims.

Allegations of Misleading Practices

The suit additionally calls Trader Joe’s “organized and noticeable mislabeling” of the coffee, “incorrect and deceptive marketing create a pattern of unlawful and unjust company practices that damage the public and allows it to bill even more for the Item.”

Impact on Purchasing Decisions

“Appropriately, the amount of caffeine in a coffee mix influences a consumer’s purchasing decision. In addition, for regular coffee drinkers, “decaf” and “half-caff” coffees are not an affordable alternative to a morning repair. Thus, these consumers would not buy a “decaf” and “half-caff” coffee as a substitute for their normal coffee or would pay much less for the product.”

A claim was filed in the Central Area of California versus the Monrovia, California-based chain on Thursday, alleging the brand name’s French Roast Low Acid coffee contains much less than half the caffeine of standard coffee blends.