A-B Said to Settle Lawsuit Over Ritas Ingredients

Anheuser-Busch has resolved a lawsuit alleging its Ritas products don't actually contain tequila or wine.  The settlement was first disclosed by Top Class Actions.

The plaintiffs alleged the "Sparkling Margarita" drinks contain no tequila, the "Mojito" drinks are made without rum, and "Sangria" and "Rose" drinks lack wine.  As part of the settlement, A-B agreed to add the words "Malt Beverage" on the drinks' packaging.

The class action lawsuit alleged the Rita line of beverages are simply flavored beer, and the plaintiffs allege they and others would not have paid so much for their Lime-a-Ritas or other products had they known.  

A-B didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.  When it does, this story will be updated.

One plaintiff alleged she believed the products contained tequila because A-B used "Margarita" on the package and included a picture of a salted margarita glass.

“In purchasing the Wine Product, Ms. Browning saw and relied on the words ‘ROSÉ’ and ‘SANGRIA’ on the front package of the Wine Product and reasonably expected that it contained wine,”  the complaint said. “Moreover, nowhere on the packaging did Ms. Browning see a disclaimer or any other statement indicating that Wine Product does not contain wine, or that Wine Product is just a flavored beer.”

The complaint also alleged that “nowhere on the packaging did (he) see a disclaimer or any other statement indicating that the Margarita Products do not contain tequila, or that the product is just a flavored beer. Had (he) known that the Margarita Products did not contain tequila, he would not have purchased them or would have paid significantly less for them.”

To be sure, the complaint does acknowledge a box on the bottom of the package says the beverages are “Malt Beverage[s] With Natural Flavors and Caramel Color.”

But that's not good enough, the complaint asserted, saying most consumers would not necessarily understand that “malt beverage” means that the products do not contain tequila, rum, or wine. The complaint points to research that indicates most consumers only look to the front of a product’s packaging when deciding to make a purchase.