Kraft Mac and Cheese Faces New Class Action Lawsuit: What You Need to Know

A federal judge recently ruled that a class action lawsuit against Kraft Heinz, the company behind the beloved Kraft Mac & Cheese product, will be moving forward to federal court. This lawsuit, which was filed in December 2023, claims that Kraft Heinz misled consumers by suggesting that their Kraft Mac & Cheese was free from harmful additives.

This isn’t the first time a major brand has faced legal action over advertising claims. In this case, consumers are upset about Kraft Heinz’s marketing messages and what they allege to be false promises.

So, what’s the deal with the Kraft Mac & Cheese lawsuit? According to USA TODAY, the lawsuit alleges that Kraft Heinz falsely represented their product as free from artificial flavors, preservatives, and dyes. However, the plaintiffs argue that the product actually contains synthetic ingredients like citric acid and sodium phosphate.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has even cautioned against the use of the term “natural” when citric acid – a preservative – is present. Despite Kraft Heinz’s marketing claims of “No Artificial Flavors, Preservatives, or Dyes,” the plaintiffs are challenging these assertions in court.

Kraft Heinz attempted to have the lawsuit dismissed, but a U.S. District Judge in Chicago, Mary M. Rowland, has decided that the case will proceed to federal court. The judge determined that the plaintiffs have provided sufficient evidence to support their claims that the ingredients in question are artificial, leading to a partial win for both sides.

While the plaintiffs won’t be allowed to claim future harm due to the preservatives in the product, the case is far from over. It’s unclear when the next court date will be scheduled, but if you believe you may be entitled to compensation, you’ll need to follow the official process outlined once the lawsuit is settled.

For those concerned about product safety, it’s important to note that there is no recall for Kraft Mac & Cheese at this time. However, in September 2024, the FDA did issue a recall for macaroni and cheese products made by Reser’s Fine Foods due to spoilage concerns. Back in 2015, over 6.5 million boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese were recalled due to consumer reports of metal-containing product, as reported by SupplySide’s Supplement Journal.