Richmond partner Trent Taylor, a toxic tort and products liability litigator who advises food and beverage companies, was quoted in an article published by Forbes about the rise in litigation against food manufacturers.
The Dec. 20, 2016, article — “Why Are Consumers Unhappy With Their Food and Drink Filing Class Action Lawsuits?” — examines several possible driving factors behind the trend. Taylor cited consumers’ increased scrutiny of their food supply, Food and Drug Administration regulation, and a lack of enforcement as major contributors.
He also discussed challenges companies face in standardizing product labels nationwide as they face inconsistent court rulings. “You have one plaintiff in one suit that says a label is deceptive and that court sides with him, and in another suit in another state over the same product a judge says no. You have different courts coming to different conclusions,” Taylor said.