Meet Nilima Amin, the woman who claimed Subway's so-called "tuna" isn't even fish. But here's the twist: amidst the excitement of impending motherhood, she's been battling morning sickness and debilitating conditions. So, naturally, she's decided to put the lawsuit on hold and prioritize her health and growing family, but she's still leaving the door open for a future lawsuit.
Eat This, Not That reported that Amin initially brought the lawsuit against Subway in January 2021, saying that independent lab tests of the chain's fish and mayo concoction didn't actually find any tuna. Her lawyers didn't immediately reveal what the tests did find in Subway's tuna, but later amended the lawsuit to highlight other lab findings that purportedly detected chicken, pork, and cattle protein in the product.
Subway has pushed back on these claims from the start, maintaining that its tuna is "100% real" and slamming the case as "meritless." The company even launched a website in 2021 to "set forth the facts and help clarify any misunderstandings" about its tuna amid the controversy.
Despite these efforts to defend the reputation of its tuna, Subway has said that the lawsuit and widespread news coverage of the case negatively impacted its sales for the product. The company failed in an attempt last year to have the lawsuit dismissed after a California judge ruled that Amin could move forward with the case.
Now that Amin wants to pull back from the lawsuit, Subway isn't prepared to let the case fade away without seeking repercussions. In a May 4 filing, Subway alleged that Amin and her lawyers decided to drop the lawsuit after realizing the company wouldn't "simply pay the windfall settlement that they hoped to get by constructing a high-profile shakedown," according to Reuters.
Subway wants Amin's lawyers to foot the bill for at least $618,000 of its legal bills relating to the lawsuit. The company also wants to have her proposed class action lawsuit completely dismissed, Reuters reported.
Amin's lawsuit is one of two explosive, high-profile cases that Subway has faced in recent years. In 2020, Ireland's Supreme Court ruled that Subway's sandwich loaves didn't meet the legal definition of bread due to their high sugar content.
Oh boy, it's truly mind-boggling how Subway manages to stay afloat with all of these lawsuits and controversies. I mean, seriously, what is it about sugar-laden bread and questionable meat that's driving sales?
