Barilla wins US class action lawsuit over pasta labeling

Barilla has won a class action lawsuit in the United States regarding the labeling on its pasta packaging. The legal challenge, filed in 2022, contested the use of the phrase ‘Italy’s No. 1 Pasta Brand’ on products sold in the American market.

Plaintiffs argued that the slogan could mislead consumers into believing the pasta was produced in Italy with Italian ingredients, whereas the products in question were manufactured in Iowa and New York. However, Judge Ajay Krishnan of the US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the wording is not ‘unequivocally deceptive.’

The court noted that the packaging included information stating the products were ‘Made in the USA with domestic and imported ingredients.’ Additionally, the judge rejected arguments that Barilla’s Italian heritage was misleading, noting the company was founded in Italy, maintains its headquarters there, and is indeed the most popular pasta brand in Italy.