# #125 The Most Common Lawsuits Hitting Brands Right Now with Handel Food Law

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2024-01-23
- Length: 55m
- Episode: 10
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-01-23-125-the-most-common-lawsuits-hitting-brands-right-now-with-handel-food-law
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/c69c016b

## Summary

Lauren Handel, founder of Handel Food Law, discusses the current litigation landscape for CPG brands, focusing on the high volume of class action lawsuits driven by plaintiff's lawyers rather than individual consumers. She details specific risks including false advertising around 'natural' claims, sugar content, and ADA website compliance, explaining how these legal threats impact small and emerging brands. Handel advises on negotiation strategies, emphasizing early settlement to avoid costly discovery, and highlights the importance of substantiating claims and maintaining clear influencer guidelines to mitigate liability.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Lauren Handel and Handel Food Law
2. The Dynamics of CPG Litigation and Class Actions
3. Litigation Process: Pre-suit Notices and Settlement Strategy
4. False Advertising Risks: Natural Claims and Ingredients
5. Health Claims, Sugar Content, and Sustainability Marketing
6. Slack Fill and Prop 65 Chemical Exposure Risks
7. ADA Website Compliance and Accessibility Lawsuits
8. Influencer Liability and Holistic Brand Messaging

## Topics

- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Handel Food Law (company)
- McDermott, Will and Emory LLP (company)
- Better Business Bureau (company)
- National Advertising Division (other)
- California Proposition 65 (other)
- Americans with Disabilities Act (other)
- Red Bull (product)
- Fruit Loops (product)
- Boost (product)
- Nestle (company)
- Shopify (company)

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- [289 - Hershey's is sued for its packaging?! - Packaging Today Show LIVE every Monday at 8:30 am MST](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2024-09-16-289-hersheys-is-sued-for-its-packaging-packaging-today-show-live-every-monday-at) (People of Packaging)
- [What It Really Takes To Build a Food Business: Part 2](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-25-what-it-really-takes-to-build-a-food-business-part-2) (How I Built This)
- [318 - What every beverage brand needs to know about packaging with Fred Hart](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2025-07-22-318-what-every-beverage-brand-needs-to-know-about-packaging-with-fred-hart) (People of Packaging)
- [129 - Kirk Visola (Mind the Font) and Jake Karls from Mid-day Squares drops in on a live interview on LinkedIn](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-04-29-129-kirk-visola-mind-the-font-and-jake-karls-from-mid-day-squares-drops-in-on-a) (People of Packaging)

## Citing this page

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