Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Racconto Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is Adulterated With Cheaper Oils

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A proposed class action lawsuit claims that Racconto Extra Virgin Olive Oil is deceptively marketed because it contains cheaper, refined oils, such as rapeseed oil.

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The 18-page false advertising lawsuit contends that Illinois grocery chain Jewel-Osco and ALM Distributors, which does business as Racconto, have misled consumers into paying a premium price for what is represented as pure extra virgin olive oil, even though independent lab testing has shown markers that indicate the presence of inferior oils, such as rapeseed oil, known more commonly as canola oil in the United States.

Rapeseed oil is considered to be lower quality than extra virgin olive oil and, importantly, is sold at far lower prices, the filing notes.

“Calling a product ‘olive oil’ when it contains any other non-olive oil is barred by an array of olive oil-making conventions, standard industry practices, international regulations, and federal laws,” the suit summarizes.

According to the complaint, federal and international bodies have established strict standards for labeling olive oil products to distinguish them from other oils. The lawsuit says these standards exist in part because olive oil is widely regarded as one of the healthiest, minimally processed cooking oils, which drives up consumer demand.

In particular, the case references standards established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the International Olive Oil Council (IOC), which define virgin olive oil as oil obtained solely from the olive plant using mechanical or physical means under conditions that do not alter the oil.

The complaint further notes that several authorities require a product containing more than a “negligible” amount of other oils to be labeled such that the presence of the other oils is disclosed.

Related Reading: Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Certain Capatriti Olive Oils Are Adulterated with Industrial Fat

The suit argues that Racconto has sought to capitalize on the “financial incentive” to dilute olive oil with cheaper alternatives while continuing to market the product as extra virgin olive oil.

The accusations in the suit stem from independent testing at an IOC-recognized laboratory in Spain in April 2026. According to the complaint, tested samples of Racconto’s olive oil contained high levels of brassicasterol and campesterol, two sterols that are not found in excess in virgin olive oil, indicating that the product is adulterated.

The lawsuit claims that these test markers do not appear by “happenstance” and instead signal that the product is not pure olive oil as represented.

Despite the alleged presence of refined oils, the suit says that Racconto’s product contains no disclosure indicating that it contains anything other than pure extra virgin olive oil. According to the complaint, this has allowed the manufacturers to command the price premium associated with authentic extra virgin olive oil while exploiting consumers’ reliance on product labeling.

“Defendants’ misbranding is intentional,” the filing asserts. “Any reasonable quality-control check would detect the presence of rapeseed oil.”

The Racconto olive oil class action lawsuit looks to represent all natural persons who purchased the Racconto “Extra Virgin Olive Oil” in the United States during the applicable statute of limitations period.

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