So, if you live in the US, you may have heard of the “Pure Irish Butter” by Kerrygold, right? Well, yes, because of this very tagline, they’re now in some serious trouble, and want to know why? You see, back in 2022, someone bought a Kerrygold Butter in New York City, and when they checked it for harmful chemicals, they found that it had something called PFAS aka “forever chemicals.” That’s mainly the reason why we are seeing this Kerrygold Butter Lawsuit in action right now. So, let’s just go over the details of it all, shall we?
What Are The Allegations Here Really?
As per the details that are already out there, you see, this whole story about this butter company actually kicked off back in 2022 when Carolyn Winans, an NYC resident, purchased a pack of Kerrygold Butter and alleged it could have been contaminated with PFAS, you know, those toxic agents that are known as the “forever chemicals” which are quite a big concern in the United States right now because a lot of companies are being accused of using these chemicals that are clearly harmful to the human body because they can cause some severe disease like cancer.
Sure enough, as per the case details, yes, the controversy intensified in early 2023 when Kerrygold announced that it was pulling its products from some of those states including NY and California as it was a new law that FTAS were banned from in food markets. Sure enough, later on, Winans took the next step by filing a lawsuit for a class-action against Kerrygold charging it with deceit in promising clean creamery products while in reality, its butter could get contaminated through the packaging material’s PFAS.
What Really Went Down In The Courtroom Regarding This Case?
Sure enough, Kerrygold decided to take it up a notch by taking the case to the federal court in New York where they actually sought its dismissal, but why exactly? Well, just like any big company would do, yes, the company argued that the plaintiff did not establish that PFAS were not present in the butter or that there were any negative effects related to it. They also maintained that the term Pure Irish Butter is only associated with the origin of the product and not with its chemical makeup.
Though, it is true that Judge Frederic Block had a different opinion. As per the case details, yes, he stated that it is reasonable for a consumer to expect that ‘pure’ means it should be devoid of harmful chemicals.
But Why Should You Even Care About All This?
Well, first of all, as you got to know, yes, this case raises critical questions surrounding the safety and labeling of food packaging, which kinda are a big part of our lives nowadays, you know, because we mostly eat processed food now. Sure enough, consumers tend to trust words like Contaminants and Natural Products which are like those used by this lawsuit. Not just that though, this case is also the one to put importance on the role of laws at the state level in regulating food packaging chemicals, which can be dangerous.
If you’re wondering like what is next for Kerrygold after this case? Well, just so you know, this case could have an adverse effect on its reputation as a brand that delivers what it promises without exception, that’s for sure. Customers may start asking themselves if they can completely trust what the company says regarding the quality of its goods or their safety. It is a way of sending out a message to other food producers that they should take additional care when it comes to choosing materials and marketing methods for their products, you know?