Trader Joe’s Manuka Honey Is Impure, Lawsuit Alleges

Three plaintiffs have filed a projected class action alleging Trader Joe’s Co.’s “100%” Manuka Honey contains about 60 percent manuka honey. Moore v. Trader Joe’s Co., No 18-4418 (N.D. Cal., Oakland Div., filed July 20, 2018). The consumers allege that they paid a premium for the honey, which purportedly provides antibacterial benefits, because the jars were labeled as containing “100%” manuka honey and listing manuka honey as the sole ingredient. The complaint asserts that the plaintiffs’ testing found that the product “only contains between 57.3% to 62.6% manuka honey,” with other types of honey allegedly filling the remainder. The plaintiffs seek damages, class certification and attorney’s fees for alleged violations of California’s, North Carolina’s and New York’s consumer-protection statutes.