The company that makes Combos snacks is facing a class action lawsuit saying its claims of using real cheese in its products are misleading.
Edward Pistorio is the named plaintiff in the potential class action filed in federal court against Mars Wrigley Confectionery.
The lawsuit claims consumers are increasingly seeking healthier choices and paying more attention to food ingredients and that the popularity of cheese has surged due to its natural properties and nutritional benefits.
"Consumers are increasingly seeking healthier choices across the foods they buy, including meats, dairy, breads and snacks," the complaint states. "The result is increased attention to a food’s ingredients.
"According to a food industry executive, 'Consumers are reading product labels more closely, and we are seeing the effects of a simple food movement when it comes to ingredients,' especially in snack foods."
But, the complaint says Mars Wrigley uses highly processed and synthetic substitutes instead of real cheese. It says the Combos list of ingredients says it contains less than 2 percent of a "cheese blend" of bakers, cheddar, parmesan and romano.
"Instead of the 'real cheese' and 'cheddar cheese' promised on the label, the product uses vegetable fats and cheese byproducts," the complaint states. "The main filling ingredient is palm oil, a highly processed vegetable oil.
"Palm oil is not a natural ingredient like real cheese, because it is subjected to hydrogenation and/or interesterification with the use of chemical catalysts to turn it into a solid form."
The complaint accuses the defendant of violating the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act as well as false and misleading advertising.
In addition to having the class certified, the complaint also seeks monetary damages, interest, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
The complaint was filed by William Wright of The Wright Law Office in West Palm Beach.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida case number 2:24-cv-00090