A federal judge in Illinois has ruled in favour of Mondelez International in a lawsuit that alleged the company deceived consumers regarding the mint flavour of its Trident “Original Flavour” gum.
Reuters reports that US District Judge Iain Johnston dismissed the case, stating that it was unrealistic to expect reasonable consumers to believe that the Trident gum contained mint or peppermint based on its packaging.
Case dismissed with prejudice
Judge Johnston compared the lawsuit to a similar case involving Walmart, where claims about the retailer’s Great Value Fudge Mint Cookies were dismissed. His ruling stated that Mondelez’s labelling was not deceptive, misleading or false under the law.
The packaging of Trident gum, featuring an “unnaturally blue” leaf with condensation bubbles, only hinted at a mint flavour and did not explicitly use the word “mint.”
The judge also noted that mint leaves in a garden are typically green, further challenging the expectation of actual mint ingredients in the Trident “Original Flavour”.
The lawsuit, filed by Kristen Lesorgen of Sycamore, Illinois, represented consumers from nine US states, accusing Mondelez, based in Chicago, of violating various consumer protection laws.
The case has now been dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be brought up again. Judge Johnston, based in Rockford, Illinois, delivered the ruling.
