Pepperidge Farm’s ‘Golden Butter’ Crackers Aren’t Buttery Enough, Class Action Lawsuit Says

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Pepperidge Farm doesn’t put as much butter in its Golden Butter Crackers as customers expect, a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

Illinois Plaintiff Deborah Floyd filed the class action lawsuit against Pepperidge Farm in an Illinois federal court Monday, alleging violations of state consumer law and federal warranty laws.

Floyd says she bought the product because she wanted to consume a cracker which contained “more butter than it did” and did not contain butter substitutes where butter could be used. 

“Defendant substitutes vegetable oils for butter, and consumers get less butter,” the class action lawsuit states.

The class action lawsuit alleges Pepperidge Farm manufactures, distributes, markets, labels and sells the product as “Golden Butter” crackers, and when consumers see the marketing they will understand that a “butter cracker” is a type of cracker which is all or predominantly made with butter. 

The bakery’s representations are misleading, the claim states, because even though the product contains butter it also contains butter substitutes – vegetable oils – indicated on the ingredient list. 

Floyd says consumers prefer butter to chemically produced vegetable oils for reasons of taste, including health and avoidance of highly processed artificial substitutes. 

She says vegetable oils, such as soybean, canola and sunflower oil, are also highly susceptible to oxidation. “The result is a flavor described as ‘beany,’ ‘powdery’ or ‘fishy,’” she adds. 

The class action alleges that the vegetable oils detract from the crackers’ taste and push the butter taste to the background. 

“Defendant did not have to name the Product ‘Golden Butter’ crackers, but chose to, since this is more enticing to consumers,” the claim alleges. 

Floyd says Pepperidge Farm sold more of the crackers and at a higher prices than it would have if it had properly labeled the product, resulting in additional profits at the expense of consumers. 

She is seeking to represent any Illinois resident who bought the crackers, and is suing under the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, and for breach of warranty, negligent misrepresentation, fraud and unjust enrichment. 

Floyd is seeking certification of the class action, an injunction, damages, fees and costs.

This is not the first time Pepperidge Farm has been sued over the product’s butter levels. In 2020, a Bronx woman sued Pepperidge Farm in federal court, claiming the labeling of its Golden Butter crackers is false and misleading.

What do you think of Pepperidge Farm’s labeling of its crackers? Let us know in the comments! 

The plaintiff is represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates, P.C.

The Pepperidge Farm Butter Crackers Class Action Lawsuit is Deborah Floyd, et al., v. Pepperidge Farm, Case No. 3:21-cv-00525, in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois.

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