Last update - 00:00 28/01/2008
Court rules: Consumers to get 2 free Yoplaits with each 6-pack
By Hila Raz
A compromise has been reached in a class-action suit against Tnuva concerning the amount of yogurt in Yoplait containers.
The Tel Aviv District Court accepted the compromise, under which the dairy and fresh foods cooperative will give each consumer who purchases a six-pack of Yoplait yogurts, of any flavor, two free Yoplait containers, also of any flavor, for free.
The free-yogurt deal is to last two months, the court ruled, and Tnuva can offer it during one period of time, or split it into two parts. The cost to Tnuva is estimated at about NIS 5 million.
The NIS-59 million class-action motion was filed in March, 2007. The plaintiffs charged that Tnuva had surreptitiously raised the price of Yoplait by reducing the contents in each yogurt container from 150 milliliters to 150 grams, or 132 ml., without informing consumers. For three years consumers were paying the same for the smaller amount without realizing it, say the plaintiffs.
The plaintiff in the class action will get NIS 20,000, the court ruled, and her lawyer will get costs of NIS 425,000.
Another class-action suit, against Starkist, relating to a similar offense, also ended in a compromise, under which Starkist will make and market 10.4 million cans of tuna in oil and water weighing 170 grams, instead of 160 grams, without charging extra for the added 10 grams. Cans not sold within a year will be donated to associations giving food to the needy. The plaintiff was awarded NIS 19,000, while her lawyer got NIS 231,000.