McCormick & Co., one of the world’s largest spice companies, is facing a federal lawsuit from competitor Watkins Inc. over claims of misleading packaging.
Watkins alleges that McCormick reduced the amount of pepper in its tins by 25%—from 8 ounces to 6 ounces—while keeping the container size nearly unchanged. The company argues that this practice, known as “slack-filling,” can make customers believe they are receiving more product than they actually are.