General Mills Must Remove 100% Natural Label for Traces of Glyphosate

Dec 26,2018

*This post was originally published on October 16, 2018. It has been updated to include new information.

General Mills will be modifying its Nature Valley granola bar labels to settle a lawsuit concerning the presence of glyphosate in the product. The suit was brought by consumer groups who allege the bars contain traces of glyphosate, the ingredient in Roundup.

The granola bar packaging says the product is made with “100% Natural Whole Grain Oats.” But the consumer groups argue this is untrue, citing independent tests that showed the bars contain 0.45 parts per million of glyphosate. This number is well below the maximum of 30 parts per million recommended as safe by the Environmental Protection Agency. However, the consumer groups, including Beyond Pesticides, Moms Across America and the Organic Consumers Association, argue that the label is deceptive in claiming the product is completely natural.

Dangers of Glyphosate Getting More Attention

The settlement is particularly significant in light of a recent verdict handed down in San Francisco regarding Roundup. Groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson sued Monsanto—now owned by Bayer—claiming his non-Hodgkins lymphoma resulted from years of exposure to the company’s glyphosate-based products, namely Roundup. Bayer and Monsanto now face more than 8,000 lawsuits concerning their glyphosate products.

Increase in Food and Beverage Lawsuits, Especially in California

Class action lawsuits against companies over nutrition labeling have increased in recent years, and show know signs of slowing down. According to a study released by Perkins Coie, there were 145 food-related class action lawsuits filed in the U.S. in 2017, up from 130 in 2016. These types of lawsuits have been steadily increasing since 2008. California is responsible for the highest number of food and beverage class actions (there were 79 such suits filed in our state last year).

One of the main reasons for food and beverage class actions filed in recent years is false labeling. Those claims rose about 60% from 2016 to 2017. These include claims that a product being marketing as “all-natural” contains preservatives or other non-natural ingredients. Other claims include misrepresenting the product’s country of origin, or advertising that a product contains a certain ingredient when it does not.

“Inaccurately labeling products is misleading to consumers. Companies need to clearly represent what they are selling,” said Attorney Walter Clark, founder of Walter Clark Legal Group.

Roundup and Personal Injury Attorneys in California

Our firm has been handling personal injury cases throughout the California Low Desert and High Desert communities for over 30 years. With a 95% success rate, the California personal injury attorneys at Walter Clark Legal Group will fight to hold those responsible for your loss accountable and win compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have been injured by a defective product and want to discuss your legal options, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. We have offices in Indio, Rancho Mirage, Victorville, El Centro, and Yucca Valley, and represent clients through the entire California Low Desert and High Desert communities.

DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.