Consumer group sues Ben & Jerry's over eco-friendly claims

A consumer advocacy group has sued Ben & Jerry's, alleging the ice cream company misleads consumers about its environmental practices.

The Organic Consumers Association filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Superior Court of the District of Columbia that accuses Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry's, of using advertising to create the false perception that the ice cream company "is committed to a clean environment and high animal welfare standards."

The nonprofit says most of the milk used in Ben & Jerry's ice cream doesn't meet its standards for animal care and labor practices, but instead "comes from cows raised in regular factory-style, mass-production dairy operations," according to the suit. It also claims that farms supplying the company are polluting Lake Champlain and Lake Carmi, and that several ice cream flavors contain traces of the pesticide glyphosate.

A Ben & Jerry's spokeswoman told the AP that the company does not comment on lawsuits.