Lower Court’s Sensible Approach

Gerber filed a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, which the district court granted. 439 F.Supp.2d 1112 (S.D. Cal. 2006). Plaintiffs must allege that Defendants’ statements are likely to deceive a reasonable consumer. The term “likely” means probable, not just possible. If the alleged misrepresentation would not mislead a reasonable consumer, then the allegation may be dismissed on a motion to dismiss. In determining whether a statement is misleading “the primary evidence in a false advertising case in the advertising itself.” Id. at 1115. The trial court noted that the mere depiction of fruit, or fruit like substances, is not a specific affirmative representation that the product contains those fruits. Viewing the packaging as a whole, the inescapable conclusion was that no reasonable consumer upon review of the package would conclude that the Snacks contain the juice from the actual and fruit-like substances displayed on the packaging particularly where the ingredients are specifically identified. “Where a consumer can readily and accurately determine the nutritional value and ingredients of a product, and the product packaging does not affirmatively mislead the consumer by means of specific representations, no reasonable consumer would be misled” by the words “Fruit Juice Snack” or deceived by depictions of fruit and fruit-like substances on the primary packaging label. Id. at 1116.

The motion to dismiss raises the intersection of federal pleading rules and the state law underlying the elements of the claim being alleged. The Ninth Circuit engaged in no balancing or careful melding, but rather disposed of the federal pleading requirement as clarified in Twombly by noting that “California courts, however, have recognized that whether a business practice is deceptive will usually be a question of fact not appropriate for decision on demurrer.” 2008 WL 1776522 at *3. The facts of this case, the panel thought, do not amount to the “rare situation” in which granting a motion to dismiss is proper. Id. at *4. The Court simply substituted its view of the potential impact of the packaging for the trial court’s view: The packaging pictures a number of different fruits, “potentially suggesting (falsely) that those fruits or their juices are contained in the product.” Id. Further, the statement that Fruit Juice Snacks was made with “fruit juice and other all natural ingredients” could “easily” be interpreted by consumers as a claim that all the ingredients in the product were natural, “which appears to be false.” Id. [That’s the good news/bad news about a de novo review standard.]

The Ninth Circuit also disagreed with the trial court’s view that reasonable consumers might be expected to look beyond the front of the box to discover the ingredient list on the side of the box.

“We do not, however, think that a busy parent walking through the aisles of a grocery store should be expected to verify that the representations on the front of the box are confirmed in the ingredient list. Instead, reasonable consumers expect that the ingredient list contains more detailed information about the product that confirms other representations on the packaging.” Id.

That view – as unsupported by evidence as any the trial court relied on – is apparently designed to substitute the appellate court’s view of consumers in that specific environment, for an objective analysis of the packaging in a calm, or reflective atmosphere. It seems potentially inconsistent with the court’s holding that claims under these California CFA statutes are governed by a “reasonable consumer” test, unless the advertisement targets a particular disadvantaged or vulnerable group. Apparently, shoppers in grocery stores – if they are parents – are too disadvantaged and vulnerable to be expected to read the ingredients on the food they are buying for their children. What a tremendous policy decision! Sure to encourage more informed decisions by consumers. Apparently, reasonable consumers don’t read the label.

FDA Role

It is curious also in light of the treatment of the issue of the role of the FDA in this case. The trial court noted that “the FDA authorizes the manner in which Gerber labels Snacks…. The depictions of the fruit suggest that the product is fruit flavored and, as indicated on the packaging label, Snacks is a naturally flavored drink containing grape juice and natural flavors, along with corn syrup, sugar, Vitamin C, and other listed ingredients.” 439 F.Supp.2d at 1112. The Ninth Circuit rejected Gerber’s assertion that the district court concluded as an “alternate holding” that the product complied with FDA guidelines. This supposedly was not an alternate holding but simply support for the conclusion that the product was not deceptive. (The Court put off as not yet ripe any preemption challenge.)