Frito-Lay lawsuits moved to be heard in same court

Three class action lawsuits accusing Frito-Lay of deception through all-natural claims on its packaging have been consolidated so all are heard in a New York federal court.

Claimants Julie Gengo and Valarie Zuro filed suits in a California federal court in December last year and they join a suit filed in a New York court by Chris Shake in January this year.

It is alleged Frito-Lay, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, is misleading consumers by labelling some of its Tostitos and SunChips brands as “all natural” despite using genetically modified corn and vegetable oils in the products.

All parties reportedly agreed to the New York consolidation last month to “streamline the litigation and conserve judicial resources.”

The cases are being brought under state consumer protection laws aimed at safeguarding consumers from deceptive acts and false advertising.

The plaintiffs will file a consolidated complaint within 45 days, according to the judge's order.