Natalia Chi
A lawsuit filed by a Chicago woman accuses the maker of Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey of tricking consumers by selling miniature bottles that look like the popular spirit but don’t actually contain whiskey. are doing.
The lawsuit, filed by Anna Marquez in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois earlier this month, names Sazerac Co. as a defendant.
The lawsuit covers 50-milliliter Fireball cinnamon bottles containing a malt beverage with a lower alcohol content than whiskey, sold at gas stations and convenience stores for 99 cents.
The lawsuit states that the smaller bottle looks exactly like the one containing the whiskey, and that “most buyers looking for alcohol look exactly the same, except for the word ‘whiskey’ on the front label.” ” he claims.
Both bottles have red caps and feature yellow labels with a red dragon-like figure on the front.
Fireball Cinnamon’s label states that the drink is a “natural whiskey and other flavored malt beverage” and that it is “a distilled spirit or It misleads consumers that it contains spirits.”
“It was a simple mistake and intended by the manufacturer to expect whiskey in a small bottle labeled ‘Fireball Cinnamon,'” the complaint reads. “As a result of false and misleading labeling, the product is sold at a premium price of $0.99 for He’s 50 mL.”
Sazerac says its Fireball Cinnamon product was created to capture “the essence of the Fireball whiskey taste experience consumers love.”
The company offers some guidance on how to tell the difference between the two products on its website. Products with Fireball “Cinnamon” without “Whiskey” on the front label are either malt-based or wine-based products. “
According to the complaint, the plaintiff expected the smaller bottle to contain whiskey and knew that “the labeling and omissions were false and misleading, or he would not have purchased.” I ended up paying more for drinks than I should have.
The lawsuit seeks over $5 million.
