Vanilla Coke Deceptively Marketed, New Consumer Suit Says

Coca-Cola Co.'s “Vanilla Coke” is misleadingly portrayed to make consumers think vanilla is its only flavoring, a new consumer suit in a New York federal court alleges.

Recreating the complexity and richness of vanilla flavor provided by vanilla beans “is a task science has been unable to duplicate,” which is why consumers are willing to pay more for products labeled with the term “vanilla,” New Yorker Steven Gil says.

The front label of a Vanilla Coke can includes the representations “Vanilla,” “Coca-Cola,” and “Vanilla Flavored & Other Natural Flavors,” Gil alleges in a proposed class suit in the U.S. District ...