Rachael Ray Nutrish Pet Foods Not as ‘Natural’ as Advertised, Class Action Lawsuit Says

A new proposed class action lawsuit claims Rachael Ray Nutrish pet foods are deceptively advertised and marketed as “natural” given that many of the products contain a litany of synthetic substances.

According to the 23-page false advertising lawsuit, the prominent “natural” claim on product packaging is misleading to consumers because many Nutrish pet food varieties are made with synthetic ingredients such as citric acid, glycerin, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, dicalcium phosphate and xanthan gum, among others.

The Rachael Ray lawsuit contends that no product touted as “natural” should contain any of these artificial additives, many of which, the suit says, are manufactured through intense chemical processing and hardly match shoppers’ expectations for “natural” pet food.

By misrepresenting the Nutrish products at issue, defendants Ray Marks Co. LLC—which owns the Rachael Ray trademark—and Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, LLC have sought to capitalize on increasing consumer demand for natural pet foods free from synthetic ingredients, the case charges.

As the complaint tells it, the defendants have “profited enormously” at the expense of health-conscious pet owners who have been misled into believing the purportedly “natural” Nutrish products are safer and more nutritious for their pets than competitors’ pet foods.

Which Nutrish pet foods are mentioned in the lawsuit?

The lawsuit alleges the following Nutrish pet foods, and potentially others, are misleadingly labeled as “natural”:

Who’s covered by the lawsuit?

The case looks to represent anyone in the United States who purchased any of the Nutrish products listed on this page for personal, family or household use (and not for resale) within the applicable statute of limitations period.

I’ve bought at least one of these Nutrish pet foods. How do I join the lawsuit?

If you’ve purchased any of the Nutrish products listed on this page, there’s nothing you need to do right now to join, add your name to, or sign up for the class action lawsuit. It’s usually only if and when a lawsuit reaches a settlement that the people covered by the deal—known as class members—would need to act. This typically involves filling out and filing a claim form online or by mail.

Remember, it can take months or even years for a class action lawsuit to be resolved, so be sure to check ClassAction.org often for class action lawsuit and settlement updates.

Related Reading: Everything You Need to Know About Class Action Lawsuits, Class Action Settlements and the Legal Process

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