Trader Joe’s Faces Lawsuit Over Lead and Cadmium Levels in Dark Chocolate, Reports Reuters

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK – Trader Joe’s is facing a lawsuit from a consumer who claims that the grocery chain has misled and potentially endangered shoppers by selling dark chocolate products that contain harmful levels of lead and cadmium.

The proposed class action was filed in a federal court in Central Islip, New York, just one week after a similar lawsuit was launched against Hershey by the same group of law firms.

Both suits were prompted by a report from Consumer Reports, which stated that 23 out of 28 tested dark chocolate bars contained potentially harmful levels of lead, cadmium, or both heavy metals for individuals consuming more than one ounce of chocolate daily.

According to Consumer Reports, Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao was found to have high levels of lead, while Trader Joe’s The Dark Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate 85% Cacao was high in both lead and cadmium.

In the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, plaintiff Thomas Ferrante said he purchased both chocolate products after reading their labels and claimed he would have avoided them or paid less had he been aware of their harmful contents.

"High levels of lead and cadmium in food products is material to reasonable consumers, because these chemicals pose serious health risks, even in small dosages," Ferrante stated.

Trader Joe’s, located in Monrovia, California, has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding the lawsuit.

Some research suggests that dark chocolate’s antioxidants and relatively low sugar content may offer cardiovascular health benefits.

Ferrante resides in Nassau County, New York, which is also the location of the plaintiff involved in the Hershey case.

Both lawsuits are seeking a minimum of $5 million in damages, including at least $500 per transaction in accordance with New York law.

The case has been filed under the title Ferrante v Trader Joe’s Co et al in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.