Is a Granola Bar "Natural" If There's a Pesticide in It?
New lawsuits say the advertising is deceptive, as the fight over "natural" food claims shifts upstream.
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Stroll down your supermarket's aisles, and you may notice some new words on the cereal and snack boxes. "Natural," once the descriptor of choice, is being crowded out after years of lawsuits. In its place: "Honest." "Simple."
The "natural" claims haven't vanished; they've just become less conspicuous—and as the claims have evolved, so has the litigation over whether they're deceptive. New lawsuits filed Wednesday target what they say are small amounts of the world's most popular pesticide in granola bars ostensibly "made with 100% natural whole grain oats."