Trader Joe’s customers sue over coffee’s caffeine levels
Is coffee good for you? 03:26
Some Trader Joe’s coffee drinkers are angry they can’t get their caffeine boost, according to a new lawsuit filed against the retailer.
Customers alleged in a class-action lawsuit filed Thursday in California that Trader Joe’s misleadingly advertised its French Roasted Low Acid whole bean coffee, leading them to believe the coffee contained more caffeine than it did.
Four plaintiffs who purchased the coffee product sold at Trader Joe’s stores nationwide alleged that the grocer failed to disclose that the product contained less caffeine than typical coffee products.
The plaintiffs claim that Trader Joe’s misadvertised its coffee by not stating that it was low in caffeine. / Credit: Trader Joe’s
Plaintiffs’ attorneys argue that it is common practice to state the caffeine content of a coffee product only when “some process is used to reduce the amount of caffeine it contains.”
“For example, fully caffeinated coffee does not have any specific labeling stating that it is fully caffeinated, but ‘decaf’ and ‘half-caffeinated’ coffees are labeled as such,” the lawsuit states.
Although tests showed that French Roasted Low Acid coffee contained half as much caffeine as a regular blend, it was not labeled, leading consumers to “purchase the product believing it was fully caffeinated when it was decaffeinated,” according to the lawsuit.
Trader Joe’s did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for comment on the lawsuit.
seek compensation
The lawsuit alleges that consumers rely on caffeine to fuel their work and personal lives.
In the lawsuit, “It has become a cliché that coffee drinkers depend on the caffeine contained in coffee to provide the energy they need throughout the day. Accordingly, the amount of caffeine in the coffee mixture affects the consumer’s purchasing decision.”
He adds that a low-caffeine drink won’t be enough for regular coffee drinkers. Had they chosen to purchase a “half-caffeinated” product, they would have paid less for it, the lawsuit states.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs are seeking damages and asking Trader Joe’s to stop selling the product through misleading marketing.
