Consumer Rights Wiki

PepsiCo: Difference between revisions

← Older editNewer edit →
VisualWikitext
Clean-up; pass on style; added newer information.
No edit summary
Line 10: Line 10:
}}
}}


<!-- please expand upon this  -->[[wikipedia:PepsiCo#|PepsiCo, Inc.]], is an American food and beverage corporation.
<!-- please expand upon this  -->'''{{Wplink|PepsiCo|PepsiCo, Inc.}}''' is an American food and beverage corporation.


==Consumer impact summary==
==Consumer impact summary==
Line 16: Line 16:


==Incidents==
==Incidents==
<!--please check over all incident and add anything missing, several things are missing-->
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Pepsi runs misleading advertising campaign to give away a Harrier II jet (''1996'')===
In March 1996, Pepsi began the "Pepsi Stuff" advertising campaign which claimed that you could redeem "Pepsi Points" for a variety of things including and up to a {{Wplink|Harrier jump jet#Second-generation Harriers|Harrier II jet}}. When John Leonard produced enough points to purchase the jet, they refused on the grounds that it was not intended to be taken seriously. Leonard chose to pursue a lengthy legal campaign against Pepsi for the alleged false advertising (see ''{{Wplink|Leonard v. Pepsico, Inc.}}'').
Multiple similar campaigns were performed outside of the United States, with similar results, as outlined in the ''"{{Wplink|Pepsi, Where's My Jet?}}"'' docuseries on [[Netflix]].


===PepsiCo exposes customers to lead without prior knowledge (''2006'')===
===PepsiCo exposes customers to lead without prior knowledge (''2006'')===
On 21 April 2006, the California state government announced that PepsiCo was agreeing to a consent judgment over claims of violating the {{Wplink|California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act}}, allegedly that Mexico Pepsi and West Jefferson Mountain Dew failed to warn Californian consumers that their products contained lead and cadmium.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Attorney General Lockyer Announces Multi-Million Dollar Settlement With Pepsi to Eliminate Lead in Mexican Bottles |url=https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-lockyer-announces-multi-million-dollar-settlement-pepsi |website=California Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General |date=21 Apr 2006 |access-date=16 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613175743/https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-lockyer-announces-multi-million-dollar-settlement-pepsi |archive-date=13 Jun 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lockyer |first=Bill |title=''People Of The State Of Ca et al v. Pepsico Inc'', Case No. BC351120 |url=https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/prop65-people-pepsi-071806.pdf |website=California Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General |date=18 July 2006 |access-date=16 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251217040503if_/https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/prop65-people-pepsi-071806.pdf |archive-date=17 Dec 2025 |format=PDF}}</ref>
On 21 April 2006, the California state government announced that PepsiCo was agreeing to a consent judgment over claims of violating the {{Wplink|California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act}}, alleging that Mexico Pepsi and West Jefferson Mountain Dew had failed to warn Californian consumers that their products contained lead and cadmium.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Attorney General Lockyer Announces Multi-Million Dollar Settlement With Pepsi to Eliminate Lead in Mexican Bottles |url=https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-lockyer-announces-multi-million-dollar-settlement-pepsi |website=California Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General |date=21 Apr 2006 |access-date=16 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613175743/https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-lockyer-announces-multi-million-dollar-settlement-pepsi |archive-date=13 Jun 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lockyer |first=Bill |title=''People Of The State Of Ca et al v. Pepsico Inc'', Case No. BC351120 |url=https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/prop65-people-pepsi-071806.pdf |website=California Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General |date=18 July 2006 |access-date=16 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251217040503if_/https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/prop65-people-pepsi-071806.pdf |archive-date=17 Dec 2025 |format=PDF}}</ref>
[[File:PepsiCo pep+ program strategy.png|thumb|PepsiCo pep+ program strategy]]
[[File:PepsiCo pep+ program strategy.png|thumb|PepsiCo pep+ program strategy]]


===Hiding how much carcinogenic food coloring in products (''2014'')===
===Hiding how much carcinogenic food coloring in products (''2014—2016'')===
[[File:PepsiCo post on X about ESG.png|thumb|PepsiCo Twitter post]]
Thamar Santisteban Cortina separately sued Pepsico and Goya Foods in January 2014 over the products Pepsi, Pepsi One, and Diet Pepsi, allegedly containing excessive amount of 4-methylimidazole (which can cause severe health risks like cancer) without properly informing consumers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Simon |title=Pepsi, Goya Accused of Hiding Levels of Potentially Dangerous Caramel Color |url=https://www.classaction.org/blog/pepsi-goya-accused-of-hiding-levels-of-potentially-dangerous-caramel-color |website=Classaction |date=27 Jun 2017 |access-date=5 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321184924/https://www.classaction.org/blog/pepsi-goya-accused-of-hiding-levels-of-potentially-dangerous-caramel-color |archive-date=21 Mar 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Antell |first=Amanda |title=Class Action Says Pepsi, Malta Goya Contain Cancer-Causing Chemical |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/class-action-says-pepsi-malta-goya-contain-cancer-causing-chemical/ |website=Top Class Actions |date=29 Jan 2014 |access-date=5 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321184935/https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/class-action-says-pepsi-malta-goya-contain-cancer-causing-chemical/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Warmerdam |first=Elizabeth |title=Class Claims Pepsi Contains Carcinogen |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/class-claims-pepsi-contains-carcinogen/ |website=Courthouse News Service |date=28 Jan 2014 |access-date=5 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321184942/https://www.courthousenews.com/class-claims-pepsi-contains-carcinogen/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2026}}</ref>
Thamar Santisteban Cortina separately sued Pepsico and Goya Foods in January 2014 over the products Pepsi, Pepsi One, and Diet Pepsi, allegedly containing excessive amount of 4-methylimidazole (which can cause severe health risks like cancer) without properly informing consumers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Simon |title=Pepsi, Goya Accused of Hiding Levels of Potentially Dangerous Caramel Color |url=https://www.classaction.org/blog/pepsi-goya-accused-of-hiding-levels-of-potentially-dangerous-caramel-color |website=Classaction |date=27 Jun 2017 |access-date=5 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321184924/https://www.classaction.org/blog/pepsi-goya-accused-of-hiding-levels-of-potentially-dangerous-caramel-color |archive-date=21 Mar 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Antell |first=Amanda |title=Class Action Says Pepsi, Malta Goya Contain Cancer-Causing Chemical |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/class-action-says-pepsi-malta-goya-contain-cancer-causing-chemical/ |website=Top Class Actions |date=29 Jan 2014 |access-date=5 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321184935/https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/class-action-says-pepsi-malta-goya-contain-cancer-causing-chemical/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Warmerdam |first=Elizabeth |title=Class Claims Pepsi Contains Carcinogen |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/class-claims-pepsi-contains-carcinogen/ |website=Courthouse News Service |date=28 Jan 2014 |access-date=5 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321184942/https://www.courthousenews.com/class-claims-pepsi-contains-carcinogen/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2026}}</ref>


Line 35: Line 38:
The lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice by the FTC in a 3-0 vote on 22 May 2025, with FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson reasoning that "the Biden-Harris FTC rushed to authorize this case just three days before President Trump's inauguration in a nakedly political effort to commit this administration to pursuing little more than a hunch that Pepsi had violated the law."<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=FTC Dismisses Lawsuit Against PepsiCo |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/05/ftc-dismisses-lawsuit-against-pepsico |website=Federal Trade Commission |date=22 May 2025 |access-date=16 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523013634/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/05/ftc-dismisses-lawsuit-against-pepsico |archive-date=23 May 2025}}</ref>
The lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice by the FTC in a 3-0 vote on 22 May 2025, with FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson reasoning that "the Biden-Harris FTC rushed to authorize this case just three days before President Trump's inauguration in a nakedly political effort to commit this administration to pursuing little more than a hunch that Pepsi had violated the law."<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=FTC Dismisses Lawsuit Against PepsiCo |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/05/ftc-dismisses-lawsuit-against-pepsico |website=Federal Trade Commission |date=22 May 2025 |access-date=16 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523013634/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/05/ftc-dismisses-lawsuit-against-pepsico |archive-date=23 May 2025}}</ref>


===Ran Campaigns Lying to Consumers about Environmental Benefits===
===Lawsuit accuses PepsiCo and Coca-Cola of running campaigns lying about environmental benefits to consumers (''2024'')===
The People of the State of California (through Los Angeles County) filed a lawsuit against Pepsico and Coca-Cola on 2024 over misleading consumers with a disinformation campaign designed to make consumers believe that their products are environmental friendly.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Jessy |date=2024-11-08 |title=Pepsi, Coca-Cola untruthful about about single-use plastic waste, lawsuit claims |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/class-action-news/pepsi-coca-cola-untruthful-about-about-single-use-plastic-waste-lawsuit-claims/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321185527/https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/class-action-news/pepsi-coca-cola-untruthful-about-about-single-use-plastic-waste-lawsuit-claims/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2026-03-05 |website=Top Class Actions}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 October 2024 |title=SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES |url=https://cdn.climatepolicyradar.org/navigator/USA/2024/people-v-pepsico-inc_fab3e3031de5c92e5c44de4cfd71d466.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321185527/https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/class-action-news/pepsi-coca-cola-untruthful-about-about-single-use-plastic-waste-lawsuit-claims/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=5 March 2026 |website=climatepolicyradar}}</ref>
[[File:PepsiCo post on X about ESG.png|thumb|PepsiCo post on [[X]].]]
 
On 29 October 2024, Los Angeles County in California filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo and Coca-Cola on 2024 over misleading consumers with a disinformation campaign designed to make consumers believe that their products are environmental friendly — in particular single-use plastic bottles and the efficacy of recycling them.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Harrison |first1=Dawyn R. |last2=Kuhn |first2=Scott |title=''Los Angeles County v PepsiCo, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company, et al'' (Case No. 24STCV28450) |url=https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/lac/1169727_FiledPlasticsComplaintAgainstPepsiCoandCoke.pdf |website=County of Los Angeles |date=29 Oct 2024 |access-date=17 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250514013345/http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/lac/1169727_FiledPlasticsComplaintAgainstPepsiCoandCoke.pdf |archive-date=14 May 2025 |format=PDF}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=LA County Sues Pepsi and Coca-Cola over Plastic Beverage Pollution and Deceiving Public on Plastic Recycling |url=https://lacounty.gov/2024/10/30/la-county-sues-pepsi-and-coca-cola-over-plastic-beverage-pollution-and-deceiving-public-on-plastic-recycling/ |website=County of Los Angeles |date=30 Oct 2024 |access-date=17 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241103190450/https://lacounty.gov/2024/10/30/la-county-sues-pepsi-and-coca-cola-over-plastic-beverage-pollution-and-deceiving-public-on-plastic-recycling/ |archive-date=3 Nov 2024}}</ref>
===Pepsi Runs Misleading Ad-Campaign to give away a Harrier 2 Jet===
<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Jessy |title=Pepsi, Coca-Cola untruthful about about single-use plastic waste, lawsuit claims |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/class-action-news/pepsi-coca-cola-untruthful-about-about-single-use-plastic-waste-lawsuit-claims |website=Top Class Actions |date=8 Nov 2024 |access-date=5 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321185527/https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/class-action-news/pepsi-coca-cola-untruthful-about-about-single-use-plastic-waste-lawsuit-claims/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2026}}</ref>
In March of 1996 pepsi began the "Pepsi Stuff" advertising campaign, which claimed that you could redeem "pepsi-points" for a variety of things including and up to a Harrier 2 jet.  When John Leonard produced enough points to purchase the Jet, they balked, and Leonard decided to pursue a lengthy legal campaign against Pepsi for the false advertising.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_v._Pepsico,_Inc.]


Multiple similar campaigns were performed outside of the United States, with similar results, as outlined in the ''"Pepsi, Where's My Jet?"'' Documentary on Netflix.
The case was removed from {{Wplink|Los Angeles County Superior Court|Los Angeles Superior Court}} to the {{Wplink|United States District Court for the Central District of California|Central District of California}} on 2 December 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=''The People of the State of California v. PepsiCo, Inc.'' (2:24-cv-10340) |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69430662/4/the-people-of-the-state-of-california-v-pepsico-inc/ |website=Court Listener |date=2 Dec 2024 |access-date=17 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260517222253/https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69430662/4/the-people-of-the-state-of-california-v-pepsico-inc/ |archive-date=17 May 2026}}</ref> before eventually being remanded back to Superior Court on 14 March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wu |first=George H. |title=''The People of the State of California v. PepsiCo, Inc.'' (2:24-cv-10340) |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69430662/45/the-people-of-the-state-of-california-v-pepsico-inc/ |website=Court Listener |date=14 Mar 2025 |access-date=17 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260517221730/https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69430662/45/the-people-of-the-state-of-california-v-pepsico-inc/ |archive-date=17 May 2026}}</ref> Its current status is unknown as of 17 May 2026.


==Products==
==Products==
Line 49: Line 51:
*[[Coca-Cola]]
*[[Coca-Cola]]
*[[Yum! Brands]]
*[[Yum! Brands]]
*[[Restaurant Brands International|Restaurant Brand international]]
*[[Restaurant Brands International]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies]]
[[Category:Restaurant Brands International]]
Retrieved from "https://consumerrights.wiki/w/PepsiCo"