McDonald’s McRib class action lawsuit moves forward over ‘deceptive’ meat
The lawsuit said that McDonald's has 'cultivated a sense of anticipation around the McRib, leveraging its scarcity to drive sales across its many locations.'
A federal judge has dismissed McDonald's request to dismiss a class action lawsuit alleging that the company is misleading customers about the contents of its McRib sandwich. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, claims that McDonald's has cultivated a sense of anticipation around the sandwich by implying it contains actual pork rib meat, when in reality it contains lower-grade pork products such as pork shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach.
The plaintiffs argue that the sandwich's name and distinctive shape are deliberately misleading, and that this deceptive marketing has driven sales of the sandwich. McDonald's maintains that its ingredients are transparent and that the lawsuit distorts the facts, but the judge ruled that plaintiffs' understanding of the McRib is reasonable and that the company's advertising could support a claim of intent to defraud.
The lawsuit seeks class certification for all individuals who purchased the sandwich in the previous four years, an injunction against further deceptive marketing, and damages for class members.
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