Nation’s largest grocery store is accused of misleading and ‘endangering’ shoppers over bread calorie counts
The country’s largest supermarket operator is being sued for allegedly falsely advertising the number of calories in one of its products.
District attorneys for Venture and Santa Barbara counties have filed a civil suit against Kroger, accusing them of misleading shoppers about the calorie content of its Carbmaster Wheat and White Bread bread products.
Prosecutors alleged that Kroger, which operates in California as Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Foods Co., violated state laws on false advertising and unfair competition from late 2018 through at least June 2022.
According to the lawsuit, the company claimed that its Carbmaster loaves contain 30 calories per slice, when in reality they contain at least 50 calories.
Photos released by prosecutors showed a Carbmaster Classic White Bread package with different calorie labels on either side.
In a lawsuit against Kroger, prosecutors alleged that the company, which operates in California as Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Foods Co., violated state laws on false advertising and unfair competition from late 2018 through at least June 2022 .
According to the lawsuit, the company claimed that the Carbmaster loaves contain 30 calories per slice, when in reality they contain at least 50 calories
“Consumers rely on nutritional information to make important decisions about their personal health and well-being. For some consumers, these decisions are based on medical necessity,” Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in the complaint.
“False calorie advertising can mislead or even endanger consumers and provides an unfair advantage over competitors who advertise in accordance with FDA guidelines.
In addition, Kroger is accused of falsely advertising the lower calorie count on some of its websites, the complaint said.
Kroger, which has nearly 2,800 stores in 35 states, has not yet commented on the lawsuit.