County lawsuit ends with $1.2 million penalty for Foods Co. parent company

A Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge has ordered the Kroger Company to pay $1.25 million in civil penalties following a multi-year lawsuit. The legal action, initiated by the district attorney offices of Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Riverside, alleged that Kroger violated state laws regarding false advertising and unfair competition by misrepresenting the calorie content of its Carbmaster brand bread products.

According to court documents, Kroger understated the calorie counts on Carbmaster packaging by 20 to 50 percent, specifically targeting diet-conscious consumers. For example, some products advertised 30 calories per slice on the front of the package while the nutritional panel on the back indicated 50 calories. While Kroger's defense argued that the labeling complied with federal FDA standards and that different calculation methods can lead to varying results, the court ruled in favor of the prosecution.

The $1.25 million penalty will be distributed among the involved district attorney offices and the California Consumer Protection Prosecution Fund. The ruling aims to prevent future instances of deceptive nutritional labeling and protect consumers from unfair competition.

(Source：Santa Maria Sun)