Coke Consumers Drop False-Ad Claims After Loss of Class Status

Coca-Cola Co. consumers dismissed individual claims alleging the company deceived them about Coke’s ingredients, following a Ninth Circuit ruling that reversed class certification and said they lack standing to seek marketing changes, district court filings show.

George Engurasoff and others challenged Coke’s representations that the beverage had no artificial flavors and no preservatives. They alleged the label was misleading because Coke contains phosphoric acid that wasn’t disclosed as an artificial flavoring and preservative.

The plaintiffs sought injunctive relief to ensure that Coke is “properly labeled” according to regulations that they said required phosphoric acid to be identified as an artificial ...