Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Sprüngli is facing legal scrutiny over a class-action lawsuit filed by US-based Consumer Reports, which accuses its dark chocolate bars of containing dangerous levels of lead and cadmium.

According to the news agency, the lawsuit was filed in February 2023 and similar concerns have been raised about chocolates from many other manufacturers. AFP reported.

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Consumer Reports tested 28 bars sold in the U.S. and found that one Lindt bar was among eight bars containing high levels of cadmium, while other Lindt bars were among 10 other bars containing high levels of lead, but neither had the highest levels.

The report included the chocolate maker’s official statement: “Lindt & Sprungli disagrees with all the allegations made in the US lawsuit.” “Our Lindt & Sprüngli quality and safety procedures ensure that all products comply with all applicable safety standards and declaration requirements and are safe to consume.”

Apart from this, two of Lindt’s bars, marketed under the US brand Ghirardelli, were among five bars classified as “safer choices”.

Despite this, consumers persisted in the lawsuit filed against Lindt, claiming that they paid high prices because they believed they were “purchasing quality and safe dark chocolate”.

They also went on to accuse Lindt of violating US labeling rules.

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Lindt’s lawyers claimed that the words “excellence” and “expertly crafted with the best ingredients” on the packaging were “inflated” and could not be taken against.

This means “exaggerated praise, especially for promotional purposes,” according to the Merriam-Webster definition.

However, the district court for the Eastern District of New York denied Lindt’s motion to dismiss the case.

Moreover, this line of defense also surprised many Swiss news organizations, as the country is so committed to its reputation for producing quality goods. Weekly newspaper NZZ am Sonntag said Lindt’s strategy was “destroying its own quality promises”.

Lindt, on the other hand, emphasized that this was merely a “technical” legal response before the US court “used to clarify that an ad challenged by plaintiffs was not sufficiently objective to support the particular false advertising claim made.” Acceptance of producing poor quality products.

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