Assignment:
Watery Beer?
Several class-action lawsuits were filed against Anheuser Busch (AB) in 2013 claiming the brewing giant had intentionally watered down some of its beer products during the brewing process. The plaintiffs allege that AB intentionally deceived buyers by selling beer such as Budweiser, Bud Ice, and Michelob with less alcohol than was indicated on product labels.
Questions
1. Evidence indicates that many buyers do not read beer labels and perhaps do not care about precise alcohol content. Given that evidence, if AB did, in fact, dilute its beer, would that dilution constitute an ethical wrong? Explain.
2. Have you noticed other instances of arguable consumer fraud in your daily life? Explain.