THIS IS THE GREATEST CASE OF FALSE ADVERTISING I'VE SEEN SINCE I SUED THE MOVIE "THE NEVER-ENDING STORY": The NY Times investigates the shocking revelation that Zabar's "lobster salad" actually contains no lobster.
It occurs to me that most blogs could, if they wished, use nothing but Simpsons quotes for post titles.
Also, as dismayed as I am at this kind of bald-faced lie, it also irks how quickly food companies leach any meaning out of words. I mean, does "artisan" mean a damn thing any more?
Something along these lines can, in some instances, be a defense in an actual false advertising case (expressly recognized in Third, Seventh, and Eleventh Circuits).
Zabar's is most definitely behaving duplicitously. I would be happy to eat crawfish salad, but not to pay for it as for lobster salad. (His claim that they would have to charge more if the ingredients matched the name is also duplicitous.)
However, Adlai's right that a consumer who reads labels, or is curious that it didn't really taste lobstery, could find the truth right on the container. But does Zabar's serve it in a sandwich, on a lettuce leaf, or otherwise for consuming in the store, label-free?
It occurs to me that most blogs could, if they wished, use nothing but Simpsons quotes for post titles.
ReplyDeleteAlso, as dismayed as I am at this kind of bald-faced lie, it also irks how quickly food companies leach any meaning out of words. I mean, does "artisan" mean a damn thing any more?
The best part of that story is the fact that the ingredients are, in fact, accurately listed on the container.
ReplyDeleteAdlai independently invents the truth-on-the-market defense.
ReplyDeleteSomething along these lines can, in some instances, be a defense in an actual false advertising case (expressly recognized in Third, Seventh, and Eleventh Circuits).
ReplyDeleteZabar's is most definitely behaving duplicitously. I would be happy to eat crawfish salad, but not to pay for it as for lobster salad. (His claim that they would have to charge more if the ingredients matched the name is also duplicitous.)
ReplyDeleteHowever, Adlai's right that a consumer who reads labels, or is curious that it didn't really taste lobstery, could find the truth right on the container. But does Zabar's serve it in a sandwich, on a lettuce leaf, or otherwise for consuming in the store, label-free?