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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Class Claims LG Electric Ovens Are Not Kosher

CLEVELAND (CN) - LG Electronics misleads consumers about the kosher certification of the "Sabbath mode" feature on its electric oven ranges, one Ohio man claims in a federal class action.

Under traditional Jewish law, the Sabbath (also known as Shabbat) is a day of rest and celebration that begins on Friday at sunset and ends on Saturday evening after nightfall.

Jews that observe the Sabbath are restricted from engaging in a number of activities, such as cooking and turning anything on or off that uses electricity.

They are, however, allowed to keep pre-cooked food in an oven that was turned on before the Sabbath begins, provided that the temperature of the oven is not adjusted during the Sabbath.

LG Electronics and many other appliance manufacturers make oven ranges with a "Sabbath mode" that allows for the ovens to be used in compliance with Jewish law.

This feature is typically reviewed and approved by a kosher certification agency like STAR-K.

Brian Foley, of Galion, brought a federal class action against LG on Wednesday. He says STAR-K certified the Sabbath mode on LG Electronics' ovens as kosher around 2012 or 2013, but later decertified the ovens in 2016 because of a defect that adjusts the internal temperature of the oven when its door is opened.

The lawsuit claims that LG continued to distribute and advertise its ovens as having a STAR-K certified Sabbath mode despite being fully aware that the certification has been revoked.

"Due to LG's conduct hereinbefore referenced, the class did not receive the promised (or any) Sabbath Mode feature and many members of the class have been misled into religious violations on each occasion the Oven has been used at home on the Sabbath," the complaint says.

Represented by Mark Schlachet, the class alleges violations of the Magnasson-Moss Act, the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act, breach of warranty and negligent design.

LG Electronics USA Inc., LG Electronics Inc. and LG Electronics Alabama Inc. are all named as defendants.

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