Dive Brief:
- Following a class-action lawsuit settlement, consumers who purchased varieties of StarKist tuna could receive $25 in cash or $50 in tuna. The company has to pay as much as $8 million in cash and $4 million in food vouchers, per the settlement.
- While the company says it didn't do anything wrong, the accusation was its underfilling of five-ounce tuna cans.
- The varieties include StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water, StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Oil, StarKist Solid White Tuna in Water, and StarKist Solid White Tuna in Oil purchased between February 2009 and October 2014.
Dive Insight:
The plaintiff of the lawsuit sought independent testing and discovered the cans were filled with up to 17.3% less tuna than the minimum required by law.
This case is similar to one alleging McCormick lowered the pepper in its products by 25%, yet not bringing down the price or packaging size.
What's clear is the potential harm to a company's reputation.