Lindt melted own excellence claim in US lawsuit: reports [Video]

In a bid to dodge a US lawsuit, Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprungli has scuppered its own claims about the excellence of its products — a cornerstone of its marketing strategy.

Lindt has unsuccessfully tried to end a class action lawsuit in the United States, launched in February 2023 following an article by a US consumer association questioning the presence of heavy metals in dark chocolate bars from several manufacturers, including two bars produced by Lindt.

“In its defence strategy, the company has dismantled its own promises of quality,” claimed the Swiss newspaper NZZ am Sonntag, raking over a September US court decision.

The chocolatier’s lawyers maintained that the words “excellence” and “expertly crafted with the finest ingredients”, printed on its bars, were unactionable “puffery”, according to a decision by the Eastern District of New York district court.

The court, which dismissed Lindt’s motion, defined product puffery as “exaggerated advertising, …