General Mills has changed its legal terms to prevent customers from suing it in court if they indulge in specified online interactions with the company.
According to The Inquisitr, lawsuits have been disallowed and disputes can only be settled through informal negotiations or arbitrations. Customers who show any interest online would essentially lose their right to sue the company.
"General Mills lawsuits are not allowed and all disputes must be handled through informal means such as emails if you show any kind of favor which could be used as a paper trail, such as entering contests. Even sending an email could disqualify you from using legal means to show your lack of favor. This includes even brands that fall under the General Mills name, such as Yoplait, Betty Crocker and Nature Valley," according to the Inquisitr.
According to Entrepreneur, last month, a judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two California women, which could have pushed the company to amend its terms.
The women had accused the company of falsely marketing Nature Valley products as natural foods when the products are actually highly processed. According to Entrepreneur, the company paid $8.5 million last year as settlement in a case where it was found to have made false claims about Yo-Plus probiotic yoghurt.
The new legal terms, which were posted on the company's website, were interpreted to include engagement through Facebook. However, Mashable quoted a company representative as saying that Facebook engagement was not covered under the new terms.
According to Mashable, the parent company of Cheerios was the first in the food industry to put out such terms. A representative of the company said General Mills felt arbitration was an effective means to resolve disputes and that in most cases, the company would also bear the cost of arbitration.
Legal experts said the company was trying to shed of all liability even when it makes misleading claims.
"A smart consumer would actually not buy General Mills products," was what Richard Daynard, Northeastern Distinguished Professor of Law said when Mashable asked him what a consumer should do.
