The attorney general’s office is suing VerMints for $60,000, claiming the breath mint company violated a consumer protection law and mislabeled its tins to falsely promote its product as Vermont-made.

That leaves a bad taste in the mouth of CEO Gary Rinkus, who calls the lawsuit unnecessarily harsh treatment from the AG’s office for what Rinkus believes was an honest mistake. 

The complaint says that language such as “Vermont’s All Natural Mints” was — “and continues to be” — an “unfair and deceptive trade practice” that violated the state’s Consumer Protection Law. The case also calls out the company’s name for sounding too similar to “Vermont.” VerMints are manufactured in a Canadian plant, and most of its ingredients don’t originate in Vermont. 

Specifically, the complaint sites Consumer Protection Rule 120, which since January 2006 has governed claims of Vermont origin. Under the rule, a product can only be called “a Vermont product” if the company is based in Vermont and 75 percent of its ingredients come from Vermont. 

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Kathryn Flagg was a Seven Days staff writer from 2012 through 2015. She completed a fellowship in environmental journalism at Middlebury College, and her work has also appeared in the Addison County Independent, Wyoming Public Radio and Orion Magazine.

3 replies on “VerMints Under Fire For Violating Labeling Law”

  1. this is why TJ Donovan ran for AG – to use the AG’s office resources on issues that really matter to society

  3. A “blight”? Really? Has the so-called Vermont brand been ruined because of Vermints? Please explain how so. Has there been a widespread boycott of Vermont products because of Vermints? Have tourists stopped coming to Vermont because of Vermints? Has the New York Times declared the Vermont brand in trouble because of Vermints? Has Vermont’s GDP gone down because of Vermints?

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