McCormick Sheds False-Ad Suit Alleging Spices Have Heavy Metals

McCormick & Co. shook off, for now, a false-ad suit over spices that allegedly could contain heavy metals, as a federal court said the packaging statement “The Taste You Can Trust” is too vague to support consumer protection claims.

Kelly Balistreri and others filed a proposed class action in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California last year. They referenced a November 2021 report by Consumer Reports that said certain brands of herbs and spices, including McCormick products, contain significant levels of toxic heavy metals.

The plaintiffs failed to show that the labeling is likely to mislead ...