South Africa, Tiger Brands, will fight the class action against listeria

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa's largest food producer, Tiger Brands, announced on Wednesday that it will fight a clbad action suit against its role in the world's largest listeriosis outbreak.

The listeriosis outbreak, the infection caused by the bacteria, killed more than 200 people in South Africa last year and goes back to a factory run by Enterprise Foods, owned by Tiger Brands.

Tiger Brands confirmed to the stock exchange that it had received a notice of the clbad action suit, which had been underway for some time.

"The company intends to defend the clbad action lawsuit," the statement said, adding that it would follow legal procedures and post updates as needed.

The company's shares fell 0.9% at 08:11 GMT.

The amount of damages claimed was not indicated in the summons, he continued, because the first phase of the clbad action deals with liability and not damages, which will be dealt with later, once the liability has been met. been made.

He stated that the plaintiffs are seeking damages under the Consumer Protection Act and exemplary, punitive or constitutional damages, which, according to Tiger Brands, have been informed that the South African law does not recognize them.

Although the company has product liability insurance coverage, it does not cover exemplary or punitive damages, which are intended to punish the defendant for his behavior and to deter him, as well as to punish the defendant for his behavior and to deter him, as well as d & # 39; others, to adopt a similar behavior in the future.

Listeriosis causes flu-like symptoms, nausea, diarrhea, and infection of the blood and brain. It presents a higher risk for newborns, the elderly, pregnant women and people with low immunity.