Lindt makes bombshell admission about its ‘expertly crafted’ chocolate amid lawsuit
It was a not-so-sweet confession.
Lindt, a gourmet chocolate brand, said its delectable goodies are not “expertly crafted with the finest ingredients,” as the packaging suggests.
The Swiss company confessed in an attempt to get a lawsuit against it dismissed, but it backfired when the Eastern District of New York court denied the effort.
Lindt found itself in a sticky situation in 2023 after a US consumer organization reported alleged high levels of lead in its dark chocolate bars.
Consumer Reports discovered the revelation when it compared 28 chocolate bars sold in America.
The study showed that Lindt’s were among the eight products found with high levels of cadmium, a chemical element that can lead to health issues with the kidney, liver and heart, explained Australia’s Better Health Channel.
Another Lindt chocolate bar was among 10 chocolates found with high lead levels.
Customers from California, Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Nevada and New York have taken legal action against the Swiss company regarding the high amounts of lead they’ve consumed.
“Not knowing is very dangerous … This is why it’s so important to know what you’re eating and to have quantified data on the cleanliness and on the positive benefits,” Brian Johnson, 46, a biohacker, told the Daily Mail.
Although Lindt isn’t the only brand with lead inside its goods, consumers were frustrated that they were paying significantly more for the chocolate, which promised “quality and safe dark chocolate.”
To combat the accusations, Lindt’s lawyers clarified that some of the product’s components were exaggerated, such as the “excellence” in quality and experts’ involvement in fusing the ingredients.
Disappointed by the company’s actions, the Eastern District court deemed the product to have “exaggerated advertising, blustering and boasting upon which no reasonable buyer would rely.”
Johnson added, “What we’ve learned today is several things. One: marketing and packaging mean nothing. It does not matter what they say. It doesn’t matter what words they use, how pretty their pictures are. It does not matter.”
Meanwhile, Lindt has backtracked its statement, claiming it only spoke less of the product due to a “technical” legal response, reported the Daily Gazette. Lindt officials continued this narrative, disagreeing “with all the allegations made in the U.S. lawsuit,” they told AFP.
“Our Lindt & Sprungli quality and safety procedures ensure that all products comply with all applicable safety standards and declaration requirements and are safe to consume,” Lindt added.
However, another US chocolate brand under the Swiss company got a thumbs-up.
Ghirardelli was proven to offer “safer choices” of treats, Fortune reported.
