This Customer Is Suing Canada Dry for a Very Odd Reason
Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt personally victimized by ginger ale.
*Crickets.*
Raise your hand if you’ve ever made a quick grocery run for some Canada Dry to help settle an upset stomach.
*Raises both hands.*
Well, what if we told you that one woman from New York is feeling very UNSETTLED by the fact that the century-plus-year-old ginger ale brand’s ingredient list allegedly does not contain real ginger? And that, as a result, she has decided to file a federal lawsuit against Dr. Pepper (the parent company)? Are you mad that you didn’t think of it first?
According to The Buffalo News, Julie Fletcher has taken up her case against the soda company because she felt misled by advertisements dating back to 2011, which feature a ginger farmer pulling a rooted can of ginger ale out of the ground — implying that fresh ginger is a prominent ingredient — therefore suggesting that ginger ale is a healthier alternative to other sodas. (Ingredients listed on Canada Dry bottles are as follows: carbonated water, high-fructose corn syrup, citric acid, sodium benzoate, natural flavors, and caramel coloring.)
Remarkably enough, this isn’t the first time that someone has sued the company over dubious claims that Canada Dry ginger ale contains actual ginger. There are currently two pending suits in Massachusetts and California, and a third in Missouri which was dismissed.
According to Dr. Pepper’s defense, ginger is used to make the natural flavoring featured on the ingredient list. Additionally, the company argues that just because laboratory tests can not determine a detectable amount of ginger does not mean that it is not present in its soda.
Fletcher is suing for an undisclosed amount of “damages” and hopes to turn the suit into a class action level lawsuit, open to other consumers.
Whose side are you on?