The Packaging of McCormick’s Ground Black Pepper

June 2020: A federal judge granted final approval of the settlement agreement.

January 2020: A federal judge preliminarily approved a proposed settlement agreement in the multidistrict litigation. According to its terms, class members with proof of purchase may receive the greater of $4 per container purchased or the actual price paid to purchase products, while class members without proof of purchase may receive $4 for up to two products purchased. A final fairness hearing is scheduled for June 3, 2020. For more information, go to http://www.blackpeppersettlement.com/.

December 2015: Some of the McCormick lawsuits listed below were transferred to a court in the District of Columbia to be heard together. (In Re: McCormick & Company, Inc., Pepper Products Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation, MDL No. 2665, United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation)

2015: Between June and November, multiple class-action lawsuits were filed against McCormick & Company for allegedly deceptively packaging its ground black pepper in underfilled containers. According to the complaints, McCormick deceived consumers by continuing to sell ground black pepper in “traditional-sized tins” when these tins actually contained approximately 25% less ground black pepper than the same tins had “historically” contained. To read each complaint, click on the case information below.

• Barnes et al v. McCormick & Co. Inc., Case No. 15-cv-2226, S. D. IL.
• Bittle et al v. McCormick & Co., Inc., Case No. 15-cv-989, S. D. IL.
• Bunting et al v. McCormick & Company, Inc., Case No. 15-cv-1648, S. D. CA.
• Dupler et al v. McCormick & Company, Inc., Case No. 15-cv-3454, E. D. NY.
• Esparza et al v. McCormick & Company Inc., Case No. 15-cv-5823, C. D. CA.
• Ferreri et al v. McCormick & Company, Inc., Case No. 15-cv-6760, S. D. NY.
• Gerstnecker et al v. McCormick & Co., Inc., Case No. 15-cv-1671, W. D. PA.
• Linker et al v. McCormick & Co., Inc., Case No. 15-cv-1340, E. D. MO.
• Pellitteri et al v. McCormick & Company, Inc. and Publix Super Markets, Inc., Case No. 15-cv-81521, S. D. FL.
• Theis et al v. McCormick & Co. Inc., Case No. 15-cv-1228, S. D. IL.
• Vladimirsky et al v. McCormick and Company Inc., Wal-Mart Stores, and Does 1-100, Case No. 15-cv-8102, N. D. IL.

For more information about other class-action lawsuits regarding You know when you buy a big bag of chips, and you’re all psyched for a feast, and then it turns out there are like, three chips in the bag? That bag is slack filled.ed packaging and TINA.org’s coverage of the issue, click here.