Overview
- Four customers filed a class-action lawsuit in California federal court on Thursday alleging Trader Joe's misled buyers about the caffeine in its French Roast Low Acid whole-bean coffee.
- Testing cited in the complaint, conducted by competitors, found the product had roughly half the caffeine of Trader Joe's regular blends, about 51% of Dark French Roast and 45% of House Blend, with no independent verification reported.
- The filing says the label failed to disclose reduced caffeine even though coffees with less caffeine are typically identified as decaf or half-caff.
- Plaintiffs seek damages and a court order to halt the alleged misleading marketing and to audit and reassess prior customer claims about the product.
- Trader Joe's has not responded to media requests for comment, and the case is at an early stage with any company testing or court discovery likely to shape what happens next.