When a frozen dinner suddenly disappears from the freezer aisle, it is often because of low sales or a change in a company’s marketing strategy. However, in some cases, the quiet discontinuation of a product comes right on the heels of a damaging lawsuit. While the company will rarely admit that the legal trouble is the reason for the removal, the timing can be highly suspicious. A lawsuit that exposes false advertising or a controversial ingredient can make a product a public relations liability, leading the company to quietly pull it from the market to avoid further scrutiny.
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1. Ben & Jerry’s “All Natural” Line
Years ago, Ben & Jerry’s was hit with a class-action lawsuit over its use of the “all natural” claim on its ice cream and frozen yogurt. The lawsuit highlighted that many of the products contained processed, artificial ingredients, such as alkalized cocoa and corn syrup. After settling the lawsuit, the company quietly discontinued some of the specific product lines named in the suit. They also removed the “all-natural” language from its packaging.
2. Tyson’s “Raised Without Antibiotics” Frozen Chicken
Tyson Foods has been the target of multiple lawsuits and regulatory challenges regarding its “Raised Without Antibiotics” label on its frozen chicken products. The lawsuits alleged that the company was using ionophores, a type of antibiotic, in its feed, making the claim deceptive. Following these legal battles and the negative press, Tyson discontinued certain product lines.
3. Kellogg’s “Healthy” Frosted Mini-Wheats
Kellogg’s faced a major class-action lawsuit. It was over its advertising claims that its Frosted Mini-Wheats were “clinically proven” to improve a child’s attentiveness. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found these claims to be unsubstantiated. While the cereal itself was not discontinued, the marketing campaigns at the center of the lawsuit were completely abandoned. This came after the company was forced to settle.
4. Lean Cuisine’s “Preservative-Free” Entrees
Nestlé faced a lawsuit that alleged its products, marketed as “preservative-free,” actually contained citric acid, a common preservative. The lawsuit argued that this was a deceptive practice. Shortly after the legal challenge, the specific product lines that were at the center of the “preservative-free” marketing campaign were reformulated.
5. Certain Healthy Choice Meals (After Protein Lawsuits)
While the product lines have not been completely discontinued yet, the wave of lawsuits filed in 2024 and 2025 against Conagra for its Healthy Choice meals is putting them at risk. The lawsuits allege that the brand’s protein claims are wildly inaccurate. In the past, when a product line has been the subject of such a direct and damaging attack on its core marketing claim, the company would often choose to discontinue and reformulate it rather than continue to fight the negative publicity.
The Legal Afterlife of a Product
A lawsuit can be a death sentence for a consumer product. Even if the company wins in court, the damage to the brand’s reputation is often already done. The allegations of false advertising can permanently poison a customer’s perception of a product. For this reason, many companies choose the quietest and simplest path forward: they make the product vanish from the shelves and hope that everyone forgets.
Do you think a lawsuit is an effective way to hold companies accountable for their marketing claims? Have you ever stopped buying a product because of a legal controversy? Let us know!
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