BELLEVILLE – A St. Clair County woman is suing a Chicago company, alleging false labeling of a product containing so-called natural ingredients.
Paulette Kremmel, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated in Illinois, filed the lawsuit Feb. 12 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Fairlife LLC, alleging violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and unjust enrichment. She is seeking class action status for this suit.
According to the complaint, Kremmel purchased Fairlife's product, Core Power high protein milkshake, for $2.99 and at issue is the inclusion of two ingredients in the defendant's product, which is labeled as containing natural ingredients.
The suit says sucralose and acesulfame potassium, are artificial sweeteners and are not “natural.” Both ingredients are potential carcinogens, the suit alleges.
The lawsuit sates as a result of the defendant's deceitful labeling, Fairlife was able to charge a premium for the product, and class members paid extra for it due to the “natural ingredients” label.
Kremmel, and the proposed class, seek certification of the case as a class action, an award of compensatory damages or, alternatively, requiring the defendant to pay restitution, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney fees, court costs, and other relief the court may deem proper. She is represented by attorneys Matthew H. Armstrong of the Armstrong Law Firm LLC in St. Louis, David C. Nelson of Nelson & Nelson PC in Belleville, and Stuart Cochran of Cochran Law PLLC in Dallas.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 16-L-87