Consumers Sue Whole Foods, Wegmans And Acme Supermarkets Over Fresh Bread Claims

Three consumers have filed three separate putative class actions against Whole Foods Inc., Wegmans Food Markets Inc. and Acme Markets Inc. in New Jersey state court alleging that the grocery chains falsely represent their bread and bakery products as freshly made in-store, according to attorneys for the Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP law firm. Mladenov v. Whole Foods, docket number unavailable (Super. Ct. N.J., Camden Cnty., filed Dec. 16, 2014); Mladenov v. Wegmans Foods Mkts., Inc., docket number unavailable (Super. Ct. N.J., Camden Cnty., filed Dec. 16, 2014); Mao v. Acme Mkts., Inc., docket number unavailable (Super. Ct. N.J., Camden Cnty., filed Dec. 16, 2014). 

The complaints allege violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act based on advertisements indicating that the bread and bakery products sold by the three companies were made in-store daily despite being “frozen, delivered to its stores, and then re-baked or partially baked in store,” according to the complaint against Acme. Each plaintiff seeks class certification, injunctive and declaratory relief, treble damages, and attorney’s fees.