One Michigander and security technician has gotten tired of the exorbitant prices at most movie theater concession counters, which is probably something that we can all relate to. But it seems that for Joshua Thompson, the last straw was when his local AMC Theater told him he couldn’t even bring his own soda and candy to a showing.
He’s started a class action law suit against the theater, for violating the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll get anywhere with it.
The CPA seeks to prevent businesses from “charging the consumer a price that is grossly in excess of the price at which similar property or services are sold.” On December 26th, Thompson was charged $8 for a coke and a box of Goobers (which I can only assume he purchased for the sheer joy of seeing the word “goobers” used in legal documents) at the AMC theater, and also purchased the same items for $2.73 at a near by convenience store.
However, according to the Detroit Free Press, changes made to Michigan’s CPA leaves movie theaters under a significant exception from complying with the CPA because American movie theaters are regulated.
“It’s a loser,” said Gary Victor, an Eastern Michigan University business law professor. He said state Supreme Court decisions in 1999 and 2007 exempted most regulated businesses from the Michigan Consumer Protection Act.
Added Ian Lyngklip, a nationally known consumer lawyer in Southfield: “Movie theaters are regulated, so the lawsuit won’t go anywhere”
These days, the high prices on concession stand food just give me a reminder that most of it is terrible for me anyway. But I wouldn’t mind cheaper popcorn. It might be empty calories, but at least it’s got volume without a lot of sugar or fat (liquid butter is gross, shut up).
(via The Hollywood Reporter.)
