The country’s largest grocery store operator is being sued for allegedly falsely advertising the calorie count of one of its products.
Venture and Santa Barbara county district attorneys filed a civil lawsuit against Kroger, accusing them of misleading shoppers about the calorie content of their bread products, Carbmaster Wheat and White breads.
Prosecutors alleged that Kroger, which operates in California as Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Foods Co., violated the state’s false advertising and unfair competition laws from late 2018 until at least June 2022.
According to the lawsuit, the company claimed that Carbmaster breads contained 30 calories per slice, when in reality they contain at least 50 calories.
Photos released by prosecutors showed a package of Carbmaster Classic White Bread with different calorie labels on opposite sides.
In a lawsuit against Kroger, prosecutors alleged that the company, which operates in California as Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Foods Co., violated the state’s false advertising and unfair competition laws from late 2018 until at least June 2022.
According to the lawsuit, the company claimed that Carbmaster breads contained 30 calories per slice, when in reality they contain at least 50 calories.
‘Consumers rely on nutritional information to make important decisions about their personal health and well-being. For some consumers, these decisions are based on medical necessity,” Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in the complaint.
‘Deceptive calorie advertising can mislead or even endanger consumers and provides an unfair advantage over competitors who advertise in accordance with FDA guidelines.
Additionally, Kroger is accused of falsely advertising the lower calorie count on some of its websites, according to the complaint.
Kroger, with nearly 2,800 stores in 35 states, has not yet commented on the lawsuit.