settlement with Ghirardelli and Russell Stover in an action that was related to some of their chocolate products.The civil complaint, filed by these District Attorney’s offices in Yolo County, alleged that the two companies which are owned by Lindt & Sprüngli, packaged some of their chocolate products in oversized containers, giving consumers the misleading appearance that they are purchasing more product than they are actually receiving. In addition, it was alleged that Ghirardelli stated that one chocolate product contained more cocoa than it actually contained.
The settlement was approved by Yolo County Superior Court Judge Stephen L. Mock on January 9, 2019. Without admitting wrongdoing, Ghirardelli and Russell Stover have agreed, as a part of the settlement, to implement improved packaging practices, and to pay $750,000 in costs and penalties.
Fresno County Chief Deputy District Attorney Jerry Stanley stated, “Enforcing product packaging requirements is key to ensuring that consumers receive the full value of their purchases. Together with other California counties, we will continue to monitor businesses for proper compliance and prosecute those that violate our consumer protection laws.”
Source: Fresno County DA
