Anheuser-Busch InBev has been hit with a class-action lawsuit Tuesday after consumers accused the company of watering down the product dubbed the "King of Beers," and other hard beverages.
The complainants say the alcohol content on the bottles of Bud Ice, Bud Lite Platinum, Michelob, Michelob Ultra, Hurricane High Gravity Lager, King Cobra, Busch Ice, Natural Ice and Bud Light Lime, are wrongly advertised. CNN reported the suit said Anheuser-Busch InBev uses technology to control the alcohol composition but adds water, which pushes down the alcohol below a promoted figure of 5 percent by volume.
According to Reuters reports, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs, Josh Boxer, said the claims were not simply made on independent testing of the company's beers.
"We learned about the mislabeling from a number of former employees of AB (Anheuser-Busch) at breweries throughout the United States," Boxer said. "And some high-level guys at the brewery level all told us that as a matter of AB corporate policy, these target brands are watered down."
Boxer said dozens of companion lawsuits will be filed this week in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other states. The attorneys claim the lawsuit could affect tens of millions of the brewery's consumers.
Despite the allegations, Anheuser-Busch maintains the beers brewed are in "full compliance with all alcohol labeling laws."
"The claims against Anheuser-Busch are completely false, and these lawsuits are groundless," Peter Kraemer, vice-president of supply at Anheuser-Busch said. "We proudly adhere to the highest standards in brewing our beers, which have made them the best-selling in the U.S. and the world."
As per the company's annual report, in North America, Anheuser-Busch InBev generated $39 billion of revenues and sold 3.3 billion gallons of beer in 2011. According to Reuters, the class-action lawsuit would involve only U.S. consumers.
