NEW YORK — Taco Bell, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, faces allegations of false advertising and deceptive trade practices after a customer filed a class action lawsuit against the company for serving products with half the filling as pictured in ads.
Customer Frank Siragusa purchased a Mexican Pizza in Ridgewood, NY, a year ago for $5.49, which he said, “contained approximately half of the beef and bean filling that he expected,” according to the lawsuit. Siragusa added that he would not have made the purchase if he knew the product would not appear as advertised.
Filed July 31 with the Eastern District Court of New York, the complaint contains photographs of a side-by-side comparison of Taco Bell’s advertised Crunchwrap Supreme, Grande Crunchwrap, Vegan Crunchwrap, Mexican Pizza and Veggie Mexican Pizza, all of which allegedly feature substantially more filling in advertisements than the actual product does.
“Taco Bell advertises larger portions of food to steer consumers to their restaurants for their meals and away from competitors that more fairly advertise the size of their menu items, unfairly diverting millions of dollars in sales that would have gone to competitors,” the lawsuit said.
“Taco Bell’s actions are especially concerning now that inflation, food and meat prices are very high and many consumers, especially lower income consumers, are struggling financially,” the suit added.
Siragusa is seeking $5 million in damages for all customers affected by Taco Bell’s alleged false advertising.
The lawsuit cited other complaints and reviews from customers, including the mention of a lack in beef in Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza and Crunchwrap from a U.S. Sun reporter and a Mashed.com reporter, respectively.