PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Beer lovers across the country have filed $5 million class-action lawsuits accusing Anheuser-Busch InBev of watering down its Budweiser, Michelob and other brands.
The suits were filed in Pennsylvania, California and other states on behalf of consumers allegedly cheated out of the beverage's stated alcohol content. Budweiser and Michelob each boast being 5 percent alcohol, while some "light" versions are said to be just over 4 percent.
Lead lawyer Josh Boxer of San Francisco said Tuesday the suits are based on information from former employees at some of the company's 13 U.S. breweries. Boxer said water is added just before bottling, and cuts the stated alcohol content by 3 to 8 percent. Robert Mills is one of the plaintiff's class action attorney. "A consumer should be able to go into a store and buy a can of beer, whatever brand they like and if it says on the label that it's six percent alcohol, it should be six percent."
The multinational Anheuser-Busch InBev calls the claims groundless, and says its beers fully comply with labeling
