Julie A. Simeone

Julie A. Simeone, Counsel

Misbranded Blog

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Misbranded is Patterson Belknap’s blog covering false advertising litigation—both consumer class actions and competitor suits—with a particular focus on FDA-regulated products (foods/beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and dietary supplements).  Writing from the industry perspective, we provide timely updates on important cases, surveys of litigation trends, and in-depth analyses of “hot” legal issues.  Our firm pioneered the modern practice of false advertising law more than 40 years ago, bringing the first competitor suits under the Lanham Act.  In the decades since, we have continued to practice at the cutting edge, handling many of the field’s most groundbreaking cases on behalf of the nation’s best-known businesses.  Today, led by Steven A. Zalesin, our team advocates creatively, strategically, and efficiently on behalf of our clients at all phases of litigation, from pre-complaint demands to Supreme Court appeals.

Into the Lime Light: Suit Challenges Amount of Lime in Hint of Lime Tostitos

by Julie A. Simeone and Joshua Kipnees on July 22, 2021

Hold onto your chips. 

This blog has covered an array of dubious mislabeling theories, but a recent complaint filed in Illinois federal court may take the guac: a proposed class-action complaint against Frito-Lay North America, Inc. (“Frito Lay”) alleges that Frito-Lay’s “Hint of Lime” Tostitos are misleadingly packaged because the chips—which prominently display the phrase “HINT OF LIME” on the front of the bag—contain only a “negligible amount” of lime.  As the complaint itself recognizes, consumers understand the word “‘hint’ the same way as its dictionary definition—a slight but appreciable amount.”  Compl. ¶ 13. But rather than deliver a hint of lime, the complaint alleges, the chips contain only lime flavoring—or a de minimis amount of lime.  In other words, the hint of lime label is misleading because…the chips only contain a hint of lime.  You read that right.

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Seventh Circuit Weighs In On Reasonable Consumer Standard in 100% Grated Cheese Case

by Julie A. Simeone and Joshua Kipnees on April 6, 2021

This blog previously reported on the Seventh Circuit oral argument in Bell v. Albertson Companies Inc.—a case turning on whether a reasonable consumer would understand the phrase “100% Grated Parmesan cheese” on a cheese canister to mean that the product contained literally nothing but cheese.  The Defendants had argued that reasonable consumers could not be deceived by such a claim, even though their products contained a small amount of cellulose powder and potassium sorbate mixed in with the grated Parmesan to act as a preservative.  This was so, they maintained, since (1) the ingredient list expressly disclosed that non-cheese ingredients were present in the canisters, and (2) the canisters’ position on unrefrigerated store shelves should have signaled that a preservative was present.  The district court dismissed these “100% claims” for failure to state a claim, and Plaintiffs appealed.

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Say Cheese! Seventh Circuit to Weigh In on Reasonable Consumer Standard in Grated Parmesan Case

by Julie A. Simeone and Jane Metcalf on October 6, 2020

On September 17, the Seventh Circuit heard argument in Ann Bell v. Albertson Companies Inc.  The case hinges on whether a reasonable consumer would understand the phrase “100% Grated Parmesan cheese” on a Parmesan cheese canister to mean that the canister contains literally nothing but cheese.  The plaintiffs argued that they believed just that, when in fact the cheese product in question contained cellulose, which the defendants claimed was used as an anti-caking agent and the plaintiffs claimed was used as “filler".

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Update: Flushable Wipes

by Julie A. Simeone and Jane Metcalf on December 19, 2019

A few months ago, we wrote about the Second Circuit’s oral argument in the “flushable” hygienic wipes consumer class action cases.  And now, the septic saga continues.

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Cognitive Claims Draw FTC’s Focus

by Julie A. Simeone and Jane Metcalf on June 25, 2019

The promise of improved cognitive capability or memory appeals to almost everyone.  So it’s no surprise that the market for such enhancements is broad, ranging from “brain training” apps for your phone to dietary supplements promising memory boosts.

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“Slack-Fill” Cases Coming Up Empty

by Jonah M. Knobler and Julie A. Simeone on March 21, 2019

Unless you were born yesterday, you know that packaged goods usually contain some empty space in the box, bottle, or bag.  This has been true for as long as there have been packaged goods.  What is relatively new is that consumers—or, rather, a small cadre of specialized plaintiff’s lawyers—are suing over it.  But as Newton said, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  And the more that lawyers have inundated courts with these suits, the more aggressively courts have responded to shut the silliness down. This post examines the regulatory underpinnings of these so-called “slack-fill” suits and the many bases that courts have found for letting the air out of them.

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