BELLEVILLE — A consumer is suing a food manufacturer, claiming a product was falsely advertised as "all natural."
Caitlyn Barnes, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed the complaint April 27 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Tyson Foods Inc., alleging it violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that in March and April, she purchased the defendant's 100% All Natural Batter Dipped Chicken Breast Tenders at Wal-Mat in O'Fallon for $4.97.
Barnes claims she was damaged for paying a premium price for a product that was not all natural.
The plaintiff alleges Tyson Foods advertised that the products were all natural while they contain xantham gum, a synthetic substance.
The plaintiff seeks an order certifying this case as a class action and appointing the plaintiff and her counsel as representatives and award for compensatory damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney fees, costs and all other relief deemed proper.
She is represented by David C. Nelson of Nelson & Nelson Attorneys at Law PC in Belleville, Matthew H. Armstrong of Armstrong Law Firm LLC in St. Louis and Stuart L. Cochran of Steckler Gresham Cochran PLLC in Dallas.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 18-L-293