The lawsuit, filed in California on Thursday, claims that Trader Joe's deceived customers into believing the French Roast Low Acid coffee had significantly more caffeine than it actually did. According to the lawsuit, when tested, the coffee was found to contain half the caffeine of a regular blend. Specifically, the French Roast Low Acid coffee has 51% of the caffeine of Trader Joe's Dark French Roast coffee, the suit alleges.
The lawsuit highlights that it is standard industry practice not to indicate caffeine amount on coffee labels unless some process is used to reduce caffeine. The plaintiffs argue that the French Roast Low Acid coffee does not disclose it is 'decaf' or 'half-caff', leading customers to believe it is fully caffeinated. The lawsuit states that it is common for coffee drinkers to depend on caffeine for energy, and that full caffeinated coffee does not have special labeling, but 'decaf' and 'half-caff' coffees are labeled as such.
It is so common that it is now cliché that coffee drinkers depend on the caffeine contained therein to provide them with the energy they need to get through the day.
Customers were led to purchase the product believing it was fully caffeinated when it was not, the lawsuit claims. The suit seeks to bar Trader Joe's 'unlawful sales and marketing' of the product and monetary damages. Trader Joe's has not yet responded to the allegations.
Separately, Trader Joe's is facing another lawsuit from a Portland woman, Julee O'Neil, who claims she found a fingertip from a rubber glove in orange juice. O'Neil said she was concerned that a human hand was severed and part of the pulp she had been drinking. The status of that lawsuit and Trader Joe's response remain unclear.
For example, full caffeinated coffee does not have any special labeling denoting that it is fully caffeinated, but 'decaf' and 'half-caff' coffees are labelled as such.
Concerned that the human hand that was in the tip of the glove was also severed and was part of the pulp she had been periodically drinking.