Legal News

Is Campbell Soup's "low-sodium" not as low in sodium as you think?

A federal judge has allowed a lawsuit to go ahead against Campbell Soup Co, the world's largest soup-maker, over whether its purported "low-sodium" tomato soup really has less sodium, Reuters reports.

Four New Jersey women had sued the company last year, contending they were misled into paying more for the "low sodium" brand. They say it had almost as much sodium as Campbell's regular tomato soup.

Now U.S. District Judge Jerome Simandle ruled a class-action lawsuit can proceed because reasonable consumers could have found Campbell's labels misleading.

"It was reasonable for plaintiffs to expect that the soups they were receiving had 25 percent to 30 percent less sodium than the regular tomato soup, when the soups in fact had approximately the same amount of sodium," Judge Simandle wrote in his opinion.

Campbell said last year it planned to further reduce sodium levels up to 45 percent in some of its products, the Star-Ledger reports.

"Consumers should not have to read the back of the soup can to be sure the information on the front is truthful," a lawyer for the women, Lester Levy of Wolf Popper LLP, said in a statement, Reuters reports.

Camden, New Jersey-based Campbell, known for the "M'm! M'm! Good!" advertising slogan, said the allegations are without merit and it will fight the case in court.

"Campbell has complete confidence in the accuracy of our labels and our marketing communications and that they meet regulatory and other legal requirements," Campbell said in a statement.

Resources:

• Legal spat over Campbell Soup Lawsuit still simmering (Reuters)
• Clearing Snow from Roofs: Avoid Price Gouging (FindLaw's Common Law)
• CVS Pharmacy and Others Sued for Expired Goods in 3 States (FindLaw's Common Law)