Ninth Circuit overturns class certification in egg labeling lawsuit
The Ninth Circuit ruled that a California court wrongly certified a consumer class alleging The Happy Group misrepresented its eggs as “free range” and “pasture raised.”
A federal appeals panel determined that the lower court’s class certification was improper because the plaintiffs could not prove deception on a class-wide basis. The case involved The Happy Group, an egg producer accused of overstating the amount of land its hens roam. The Ninth Circuit vacated the certification, emphasizing the need for concrete evidence of consumer fraud before granting class status. The decision highlights the challenges of class actions based on marketing claims.
Why it matters
The ruling clarifies standards for certifying consumer class actions based on alleged marketing deception.
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