Italian pasta manufacturer Barilla, has been accused by four New York consumers, of allegedly under-filling its boxes by as much as 25%.
According to a report in the New York Post, the consumers have filed a class-action suit, claiming that Barilla is using 'deceptive packaging' in its specialty line, to fool consumers into thinking they are getting more pasta than they really are.
The extra-protein, whole-grain and gluten-free pastas are sold in the same-sized blue boxes as 'traditional' pasta.
According to the four consumers, they contain 9.4%, 17.4%, and 25% less product, respectively.
Although noting that the 'new reduced net weight' of the pasta is indicated on the box, the suit states that customers are otherwise uninformed that there’s been a change in the quantity of product. Barilla has so far not commented on the case.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
