A class action lawsuit accuses Starbucks of mislabeling its line of “Protein Beverages” as sugar-free when they contain lactose, a naturally occurring sugar in milk. The case was filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington by three consumers on behalf of a proposed class of Starbucks customers.\n\nThe suit targets eight drinks including the Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte, Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Latte, and their iced versions, with venti servings containing between 13 grams and 21 grams of sugar. Plaintiffs argue these levels exceed the FDA's maximum for a “sugar-free” label, and that Starbucks failed to include required calorie disclaimers.\n\n“No reasonable consumer would understand a beverage named ‘Sugar-Free’ to contain 13 to 21 grams of sugar per serving,” the lawsuit states.
Starbucks spokesperson denied the claims, saying the company clearly provides nutritional info across menus, Starbucks.com, and the Starbucks app, and intends to “vigorously defend” itself.\n\nThe plaintiffs allege violations of false advertising laws in New York, California, and Washington, and seek damages and restitution. The case was reported by Elias Schisgall at the Wall Street Journal.
Source: Wall Street Journal US Business · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing