A class action lawsuit claims Velveeta mac and cheese takes too long. I’m Amy E. Feldman
You know that scene in My Cousin Vinny where Vinny asks how long it takes to cook grits? Yeah, there’s a lawsuit like that, except it’s about Velveeta. A new class action lawsuit says packaging on the Velveeta microwavable shells and cheese says it’s ready in three and a half minutes, but that’s just the microwave time—it doesn’t account for the time to pull off the lid, pour in the water or add the cheese sauce.
To win a false advertising lawsuit, you have to prove defendants made a false statement that’s likely to deceive a substantial portion of the audience—not just the dumbest among us—and that the deception is material, in that it’s likely to influence purchasing decisions. You see the problems: first, most people understand Velveeta meant the microwave time. As for material, is there anyone who would anyone actually say, “wait, plus I have to pull off the lid? Forget it. Who’s got that kind of time?” So a court will likely say just what Vinny said: I got no more use for this guy.
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