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Judge says Smucker’s lawsuit against Trader Joe’s over frozen PB&J can proceed

A federal judge has ruled that J.M. Smucker can proceed with a lawsuit against Trader Joe’s over frozen sandwiches that Smucker claims are too similar to its Uncrustables. Smucker sued Trader Joe’s in federal court in Ohio last fall, claiming Trader Joe’s committed a trademark violation when it introduced frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the same round shape and crimped edges as Uncrustables. The lawsuit further alleged that Trader Joe’s put its crustless PB&Js peanut in packaging that too closely resembled the coloring of an Uncrustables box and featured a ...

Federal Trade Commission and 22 states sue Amazon over inflated advertising prices

NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission and 22 states filed a lawsuit against online retailer Amazon on Monday claiming that it defrauded advertising customers. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Washington, claims that Amazon overcharged 1.2 million advertising customers by misleading them on prices for online auctions for ads. The complaint says Amazon said it was offering competitive prices on several ad products when it was actually inflating auction prices. “When one of the world’s largest online retailers engages in unfair and ...

From honey to hockey sticks…

CHICAGO (AP) — Honey. Makeup. Christmas decorations. And hockey sticks. Those are just a few of the hundreds of different Canadian products that President Donald Trump’s administration has slapped with a 50% tax to enter the United States. The new tariffs, which kicked in Saturday, are ...

Fed Chair Warsh signals rate hikes may be needed with US inflation stubbornly elevated

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Friday that inflation is still too high and suggested the central bank may have to raise interest rates in the coming months to bring it down, a clearer signal than he has previously sent about his economic outlook. In his first high-profile speech at the Fed’s annual conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Warsh acknowledged that recent U.S. reports show that inflation has cooled a bit, but “they do not tell me that underlying trends have meaningfully improved.” “We must be confident that underlying inflation is ...

Lucky Charms and Trix go au naturel

General Mills said Wednesday it has removed artificial colors from all its U.S. cereals, including Lucky Charms and Trix. The Minneapolis company has shifted to fruit- and vegetable-based dyes as well as colors derived from spices like turmeric and paprika to give its cereals their customary bright colors. “This achievement reflects how we are evolving with consumer needs while continuing to offer food that tastes great, delivers quality and provides value,” said Bethany Quam, General Mills’ president of cereal, in a statement. General Mills said 90% of its U.S. retail ...

Florida, hard-hit by Obamacare drop-off, feels the squeeze of rising healthcare costs

ST. CLOUD, Fla. (AP) — Florida chef Elijah Button was chopping onions in June when his knife slipped and sliced his middle finger to the bone. It was his worst kitchen accident to date. But having given up his Affordable Care Act health insurance plan in January because of a $100 monthly premium hike he couldn’t afford, the 21-year-old in St. Cloud didn’t have the money for emergency care. “Going to the hospital for it wasn’t even an option,” he said, gesturing toward his finger before preparing a pot roast for his aunt and uncle in their suburban home. “My first ...