Bud Light Lime-A-Rita

April 2017: Plaintiffs’ petition for en banc review was denied.

March 2017: The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit. The appellate court found that reasonable consumers would not be deceived into thinking that Bud Light Lime-a-Rita is a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate beverage because the label makes clear that the beverage is not a “normal beer.” Later in March, plaintiffs filed a petition for en banc review (i.e., a rehearing by all of the judges of the Ninth Circuit, rather than the selected three-judge panel.)

July 2015: The plaintiffs filed a Notice of Appeal regarding the June 2015 dismissal order. (Cruz et al v. Anheuser-Busch, LLC, Case No. 15-56021, 9th Cir.)

June 2015: A federal judge dismissed this action When a complaint is dismissed with prejudice, it cannot be refiled. concluding that the plaintiffs did not sufficiently allege that the labels at issue could deceive a reasonable consumer.

December 2014: This action was transferred to federal court. (Cruz et al v. Anheuser-Busch, LLC, Case No. 14-cv-9670, C. D. CA.)

November 2014: A class-action lawsuit was filed against Anheuser-Busch for allegedly falsely advertising several flavors of Bud Light Lime-A-Rita malt beverages – including the Lime-A-Rita, Raz-Ber-Rita, Straw-Ber-Rita, Mang-O-Rita, and Apple-Ahhh-Rita – as “light” and low-calorie beverages when they actually contain “significantly more calories and carbohydrates than any other Anheuser-Busch alcoholic beverage.” (Cruz et al v. Anheuser-Busch LLC, Case No. BC563150, Superior Court of California in the County of Los Angeles).

For more information about other class-action lawsuits filed against Anheuser-Busch LLC and TINA.org’s coverage of the company, click here.