A US lawsuit alleges that Burger King is misrepresenting the size of its food in its advertisements, claiming its signature burger the 'Whopper' is 35 per cent smaller than advertised.
The lawsuit was filed last week in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Along with monetary damages, the lawsuit demands that Burger King “correct the deceptive behaviour".
Burger King did not respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post.
The lawsuit states that the company portrays burgers with “oversized meat patties and ingredients that overflow over the bun to make it appear that the burgers are approximately 35% larger in size, and contain more than double the meat".
The lawsuit includes pictures of actual burgers alongside Burger King advertisements, with the real thing much smaller in the majority of examples.
“Burger King’s advertisements for its burger and menu items are unfair and financially damaging consumers as they are receiving food that is much lower in value than what was promised,” the lawsuit states.
Florida-based attorney Anthony Russo, who is handling the case, told The Washington Post: “Little situations — what some would consider to be a little situation like this — could lead to unfettered behavior from big corporations."
He also said misleading advertisements, without challenge, could become the “rule rather than an exception".
The lawsuit alleges that Burger King began to exaggerate the size of its menu items in September 2017.
It also says anyone who bought an "overstated" item in that period, and until the lawsuit is resolved, is considered a member of the plaintiffs’ class.
