Burger King is being sued by a vegan customer after he was served an Impossible Whopper that was not completely free of animal by-products.
The class-action lawsuit was filed by Phillip Williams, according to TMZ, and alleges that an Impossible Whooper purchased in Atlanta, Georgia, was contaminated by meat residue because it was cooked on the same grill as the meat burgers.
According to Williams, Burger King has no disclosures on its menu that would notify a customer that the burger would be cooked on the same grill.
In the lawsuit, he notes that other vegans have complained about the same issue online.
In addition to damages, Williams is also seeking a judge-mandated order for the burger chain to stop cooking Impossible Whoppers and regular burgers on the same grill.
However, since Burger King began offering the Whopper, which features a patty made from soy, potato proteins, coconut and sunflower oil, heme and Methylcellulose, the chain has stated in the fine print on its website that the burger is flame-grilled on the same broiler used to cook beef and chicken - meaning the burger may not be suitable for vegans or vegetarians,
“For guests looking for a meat-free option, a non-broiler method of preparation is available upon request,” the website states.
Although the Whopper has not been marketed as vegetarian or vegan in promotional content, the chain has previously faced backlash for referring to the burger as being "0 per cent beef".
The Independent has contacted Burger King for comment.
