LEGAL/REGULATORY NEWS
AGs Ask MillerCoors to Drop Plans for New Beverage
A group of attorneys general from 25 states have asked MillerCoors to scrap plans to introduce a new product in its Sparks line of caffeinated malt beverages...
Stop & Shop Drops Lawsuit Against Whole Foods Market
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. has withdrawn a trademark infringement lawsuit it had pending against rival Whole Foods Market after reaching an agreement with the retailer...
FTC Reports on Confidential Marketing Data
After months of analyzing confidential information from 44 major food and beverage marketers...
Stop & Shop Sues Whole Foods Over Ad Campaign
Supermarket chain Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. has filed a lawsuit against rival Whole Food Market claiming the company violated its trademark ...
Stop & Shop Sues Whole Foods Over Ad Campaign
Supermarket chain Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. has filed a lawsuit against rival Whole Food Market claiming the company violated its trademark and stole its marketing campaign, according to news reports....
Coke, Pepsi Vow to Eliminate Worldwide Marketing to Kids Under 12
The International Council of Beverages Association, the worldwide trade association representing the non-alcoholic beverage industry, has adopted voluntary guidelines on marketing to children...
Live from PMA: Marketers May Be Regulatory “Scapegoats” in Tough Economy
Marketers may find themselves in the regulatory crosshairs if the economy experiences a sustained downturn, as state and federal regulators look to replace lost tax revenue by getting more aggressive about enforcing laws in areas like truth in advertising and “green” claims....
Reebok to Pay $1 Million Fine for Lead Bracelet Premiums
Reebok International Ltd. has agreed to pay $1 million to settle a case with federal consumer protection authorities stemming from a recall of its charm bracelets that contained toxic levels of lead and contributed to the death of a 4-year-old boy....
Airborne Settles False Ad Lawsuit for $23.3 Million
Airborne has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit over false advertising for $23.3 million, according to one of the groups involved in the suit....
Disney Unveils New Baby Einstein Site After Complaints
Baby Einstein has overhauled and debuted a new Web site this month following a Federal Trade Commission inquiry into complaints of deceptive marketing....
AGs Probe A-B, Miller into Alcoholic Energy Drink Marketing
A group of state attorneys general have asked brewers Anheuser-Busch and Miller Brewing for more information about the way they market caffeine-infused alcoholic beverages in their product lines....
Roehm Ends Wal-Mart Lawsuit
A Wal-Mart executive who was fired from her job last year has decided not to pursue further legal action against the company....
Motricity to Acquire Infospace’s Mobile Services Biz
Motricity, a leading provider of mobile content services and solutions, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the mobile services business unit of InfoSpace, Inc. a leading developer of mobile technologies and infrastructure services, for approximately $135 million in an all-cash transaction. ...
AGs Alcoholic Energy Drink Probe to Bring About Scrutiny
A letter from nearly 30 attorneys general sent to federal officials to investigate the ingredients and marketing of alcoholic energy drinks this week will likely prompt greater scrutiny of those products, experts said yesterday....
McDonald’s, Virgin Mobile, Part of Sweeps Scam, AG Warns
The Nebraska Attorney General last week warned consumers about a fraudulent sweepstakes that appears to be sponsored by major companies including Virgin Mobile USA and McDonald’s....
NASCAR Files $100 Million Countersuit Against AT&T Over Sponsorship
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing filed a $100 million counter suit last week against AT&T claiming that the wireless carrier is interfering with its exclusive sponsorship agreement with Nextel...
Kellogg Restricted Use of Licensed Characters Not Expected to Affect Industry
The Kellogg Co.’s announcement last week to stop using licensed characters to promote its products unless they meet nutrition standards is not expected to negatively impact the licensing industry....
Massachusetts Bill Bans Ads in Schools
A public hearing was held last week on a bill being weighed in Massachusetts that would ban all advertising and marketing in schools, from kindergarten through high school....
Best Buy Accused of Deceiving Customers
The Connecticut Attorney General has served Best Buy with a lawsuit claiming that the retailer deceived and overcharged customers through its in-store kiosks. ...
No Criminal Charges For Men in Cartoon Network Stunt
The two men who were charged in the late January Boston marketing plot that resulted in a bomb scare apologized Friday for their actions and settled their case with community service, which they already completed. ...
