Mondelez Can’t Shed Wheat Thins ‘100% Whole Grain’ False-Ad Suit

Mondelēz International Inc. can’t escape a proposed class suit alleging it falsely characterizes Wheat Thins crackers as “100% Whole Grain” even though they contain cornstarch, a refined grain that’s less nutritious.

Californian David Wallenstein and New Yorker Montgomery Summa sued in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging Mondelēz and related companies violated consumer protection laws of their respective states.

Mondelēz argued that the phrase “100% Whole Grain” isn’t misleading because it appears immediately before the word “wheat,” making it clear to consumers that only the wheat ingredients—and not all grain ingredients—are whole grain.

“This argument ...