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Weitz & Luxenberg has filed a class action lawsuit against The Hershey Company and a company owned by Hershey company, Lily’s Sweets, LLC. The lawsuit is due to these companies misleading you about the dangerous ingredients in some of their dark chocolate bars. Some of their dark chocolate products contain lead and cadmium, heavy metals that can cause serious health issues.
We have filed this consumer protection lawsuit on behalf of people across the country who specifically purchased Hershey’s dark chocolate candy bars. Our lawsuit alleges that consumers would not have purchased these candy bars if you knew they contained heavy metals and posed a potential danger to consumer’s health.
Hershey Knew or Should Have Known Heavy Metals Were in Chocolate
“Hersey and Lily’s Sweets were aware or should have been aware some of their dark chocolate candy bars contained potentially dangerous amount of lead and cadmium,” says W&L’s James Bilsborrow. Mr. Bilsborrow is a partner at our firm and serves as practice group co-chair for our consumer protection team.
“Yet Hershey chose not to inform its customers on its labels about this heavy metal contamination,” Mr. Bilsborrow adds. “They put profit before safety or quality — even their own reputation — hoping word would not get out.”
Chocolate Should Be Safe to Eat
“When people choose a candy bar, they have many options available. Our clients specifically chose Hershey and other brands because they thought the company was reputable and honest. They believed Hersey produced a high quality, safe, dark chocolate treat,” continues Mr. Bilsborrow.
“If consumers had known these chocolate bars contained lead and cadmium, they would have made different decisions and chosen different products,” Mr. Bilsborrow states.
Lead and Cadmium Are Dangerous
Lead and cadmium are heavy metals. In and of themselves, they can be dangerous. Manufacturers of products containing these metals — especially when they do not appear on the label — should answer for their actions.
Concerns about dangerous levels of lead and cadmium in dark chocolate are growing across the country. Multiple clients are joining our ongoing class action lawsuit.
Dark Chocolate Brands with High Levels of Heavy Metals
Many manufacturers of dark chocolate bars are being sued because of their undisclosed and high contamination levels of lead, cadmium, or both. Here are the brands and their chocolate bars named in our lawsuit:
- Alter Eco Organic Dark Chocolate Classic Blackout 85% Cacao.
- Beyond Good Organic Pure Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa.
- Beyond Good Organic Pure Dark Chocolate 80% Cocoa.
- Chocolove Strong Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa.
- Chocolove Extreme Dark Chocolate 88% Cocoa.
- Dove Promises Deeper Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao.
- Endangered Species Bold + Silky Dark Chocolate 72% Cocoa.
- Equal Exchange Organic Extra Dark Chocolate 80% Cacao.
- Godiva Signature Dark Chocolate 72% Cocoa.
- Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao.
- Hershey’s Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate.
- Hu Organic Simple Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao.
- Lily’s Extra Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa.
- Lily’s Extremely Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa.
- Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa.
- Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa.
- Pascha Organic Very Dark Dark Chocolate 85% Cacao.
- Scharffen Berger Extra Dark Chocolate 82% Cacao.
- Theo Organic Pure Dark 70% Cocoa.
- Theo Organic Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa.
- Tony’s Chocolonely Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa.
- Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao.
- Trader Joe’s The Dark Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate 85% Cacao.
Protecting Consumers and the Environment
Mr. Bilsborrow and our team of consumer protection attorneys have dedicated themselves to helping people harmed by defective products. They also stand up for victims of environmental contamination and toxic exposure.
Many of our lawsuits focus on protecting people from toxic chemical exposure. Ongoing lawsuits include class actions for people who bought other items containing toxic chemicals. This includes PFAS in cosmetics. There are many other products containing PFAS, including those for children and babies.
W&L Is Here to Help
Weitz & Luxenberg is encouraging anyone who purchased dark chocolate candy bars recently to contact us for more information. You may be eligible to join our class action lawsuit.
W&L has recognized legal standing across the country. We expect more lawsuits to emerge as people learn of this nationwide alert against some of the leading candy makers in the industry.
We encourage you to speak with one of our attorneys to explore your options. You may be able to seek compensation for your purchase.
