in Newly Filed / Newly Settled Published on June 25, 2024

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

Last Updated on June 28, 2024

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.

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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”:

Nutrish Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Real Beef, Pea & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Bright Puppy Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Little Bites Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Big Life Hearty Beef, Veggies & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Big Life Savory Chicken, Veggies & Barley Recipe Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Peak Protein Open Prairie Recipe with Beef, Venison & Lamb Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Real Salmon, Veggies & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Real Turkey, Brown Rice & Venison Recipe Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Zero Grain Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Zero Grain Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Limited Ingredient Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Dish Beef & Brown Rice Recipe with Veggie & Fruit Blend Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Dish Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe with Veggie & Fruit Blend Dry Dog Food;

Nutrish Real Beef & Pumpkin Recipe Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Real Chicken & Apple Recipe Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Gentle Digestion Real Chicken, Pumpkin & Salmon Recipe Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Weight Management Real Turkey & Pumpkin Recipe Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Zero Grain Real Chicken & Apple Recipe Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Premium Paté Variety Pack Wet Dog Food – Real Chicken, Pumpkin & Salmon; Real Chicken & Apple and Real Beef & Pumpkin;

Nutrish Premium Paté Variety Pack Wet Dog Food – Real Chicken & Apple and Real Beef & Pumpkin;

Nutrish Premium Paté Variety Pack Wet Dog Food – Real Chicken & Apple and Weight Management Real Turkey & Pumpkin;

Nutrish Gentle Digestion Variety Pack Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Chunks in Gravy Real Beef & Veggies Recipe Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Chunks in Gravy Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Chunks in Gravy Gentle Digestion Real Lamb, Pumpkin & Chicken Recipe Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Chunks in Gravy Variety Pack Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Chunks in Gravy Real Turkey, Brown Rice, Peas & Carrots Recipe Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Peak Protein Adventure Pack Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Chicken Paw Pie Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Beef Stroganwoof Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Chicken Muttballs Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Hearty Recipes Variety Pack Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Hearty Beef Stew Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Savory Lamb Stew Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Savory Favorites Variety Pack Wet Dog Food;

Nutrish Indoor Complete Chicken, Lentils & Salmon Recipe Dry Cat Food;

Nutrish Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food;

Nutrish Real Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food;

Nutrish Inner Health Turkey, Chickpeas & Salmon Recipe Dry Cat Food;

Nutrish Longevity Chicken, Chickpea & Salmon Recipe Dry Cat Food;

Nutrish Savory Bites Yummy Chicken & Veggies Recipe Dry Cat Food;

Nutrish Savory Bites Tasty Salmon & Veggies Recipe Dry Cat Food;

Nutrish Grain Free Chicken Purrcata Wet Cat Food;

Nutrish Grain Free Chicken & Liver Recipe Wet Cat Food;

Nutrish Grain Free Ocean Fish & Chicken Catch-iatore Wet Cat Food;

Nutrish Grain Free Chicken Lover’s Variety Pack Wet Cat Food;

Nutrish Grain Free Ocean Fish-a-licious Wet Cat Food;

Nutrish Grain Free Chicken & Shrimp Pawttenesca Wet Cat Food;

Nutrish Grain Free Tuna Purrfection Wet Cat Food;

Nutrish Grain Free Ocean Lover’s Variety Pack Wet Cat Food;

Nutrish Purrfect Entrees Grain Free Sea-Sational Florentine Wet Cat Food;

Nutrish Purrfect Entrees Grain Free Cravin’ Chicken Dinner Wet Cat Food;

Nutrish Purrfect Entrees Grain Free Fin-Tastic Primavera Wet Cat Food; and

Nutrish Purrfect Entrees Grain Free Variety Pack Wet Cat Food.

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.

Are you owed unclaimed settlement money? Check out our class action rebates page full of open class action settlements.

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Last Updated on June 28, 2024 — 10:36 AM

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