20 May 2019

StarKist Samoa owner in more legal strife

4:46 am on 20 May 2019
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Photo: tonobalaguer/123RF

The parent company of Starkist Samoa, the main private sector employer in American Samoa, is again being sued in the United States.

The plaintiffs are claiming StarKist misled consumers by saying its canned tuna products are "dolphin-safe".

The 87-page suit alleges that the company markets and sells its tuna products as dolphin-safe, sustainably sourced, and compliant with federal laws and regulations, when this is not the case.

StarKist said it didn't comment on pending legal matters, but in a statement it said the company "is committed to protecting the dolphins and was the first company to adopt a dolphin-safe policy in April 1990."

In the past year Starkist has faced legal action over price fixing and environmental violations.