A federal judge has allowed a lawsuit to proceed against McCormick & Co. over the size of its ground pepper tins. Watkins Inc. claims McCormick reduced the pepper content from 8 ounces to 6 ounces while keeping the tin size the same, misleading customers. Watkins argues the opaque containers conceal the reduced amount, violating consumer protection laws. McCormick defends that the contents are labeled and can’t be held liable for customer perceptions. A class-action lawsuit from dissatisfied customers is also underway. This case highlights the importance of corporate transparency and trust. Customers are advised to check the differences in McCormick’s pepper tins.