EAST ST. LOUIS — Kraft Heinz is facing a class action alleging it deceives consumers by labeling and marketing its Cracker Barrel brand crackers as "butter crackers" when they contain butter substitutes.
Emma Shelton, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed a complaint July 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Kraft Heinz Foods Company, alleging violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, breaches of express warranty and implied warranty of merchantability, fraud and other claims.
Shelton, a Franklin County resident, alleges in the class action that Kraft Heinz Food is deceiving consumers with the labeling and marketing of its Extra Sharp Yellow and Extra Sharp White Bite with Butter Crackers sold under Cracker Barrel brand. Specifically, Shelton claims the crackers do not contain any butter and instead are made with synthetic butter substitutes, such as vegetable oil, despite the products' labels stating "butter crackers."
She claims Kraft Heinz is gaining additional profits "at the expense of consumers" by misleading consumers who pay a higher price for the product believing it has more value and that the company had a duty to disclose "non-deceptive" descriptions for its products.
Shelton seeks monetary relief, trial by jury, interest and all other proper relief. He is represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC in Great Neck, N.Y.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:21-CV-00799