Trader Joe’s faces lawsuit due to coffee product having low levels of caffeine

Trader Joe’s, a beloved grocery chain, is currently facing a lawsuit from a group of customers who claim that their French Roast Low Acid coffee contains significantly less caffeine than traditional coffee blends.

The lawsuit, filed in the Central District of California, alleges that the coffee in question has less than half the caffeine content of regular coffee blends. While most coffee brands do not disclose their caffeine levels, some are labeled as “decaf” or “half-caff” to indicate lower caffeine amounts.

Customers who tested the coffee found that it had much lower caffeine levels than expected, leading them to believe they were purchasing fully-caffeinated coffee.

The lawsuit argues that the caffeine content of a coffee blend is a crucial factor for consumers in their purchasing decisions. Regular coffee typically contains between 85 and 120 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup, while decaf coffee has between 2 and 5 mg, and “half-caff” blends contain between 40 and 60 mg per cup.

Testing revealed that the French Roast Low Acid coffee from Trader Joe’s had 51% of the caffeine content of their Dark French Roast coffee, making it more comparable to a “half-caff” blend. Additionally, it contained even less caffeine than other traditional “half-caff” coffees from different brands.

The lawsuit accuses Trader Joe’s of misleading labeling and deceptive advertising practices, seeking to halt the sale of the product and obtain damages for affected consumers. The plaintiffs are also requesting class certification for California, Illinois, and New York residents.

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