Starbucks is facing a federal lawsuit over its 'sugar-free' protein drinks, which allegedly contain more sugar than a Reese's peanut butter cup. The suit, filed in Seattle on Friday by law firm Hagens Berman, claims that eight of the chain's protein beverages contain between 13 and 21 grams of sugar per serving despite being labeled as sugar-free.
Key Takeaways
Starbucks is facing a federal lawsuit over its 'sugar-free' protein drinks, which allegedly contain more sugar than a Reese's peanut butter cup. The suit claims the company mislabeled eight beverages that list between 13 and 21 grams of sugar per serving. Starbucks maintains it clearly provides nutritional information and does not add sugar to these drinks.
- Federal lawsuit alleges Starbucks' 'sugar-free' protein drinks contain significant amounts of sugar
- Eight beverages listed as having between 13 and 21 grams of sugar per serving
- Starbucks claims the sugar comes from protein-boosted milk, not added sugars
- Lawsuit seeks damages for U.S. consumers who purchased these drinks
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▼Source Claims Check
High ConsensusAll 3 publishers report consistent facts across 3 key claims.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar Content In Starbucks Protein Drinks | Broad Agreement | 'Sugar-free' protein drinks contain 13-21g sugar per serving | |
| Comparison To Reese's Peanut Butter Cup | Broad Agreement | 'Venti' drink has more sugar than a Reese's cup | |
| Starbucks' Defense | Broad Agreement | Starbucks claims no added sugars, lists nutritional info clearly |
Sugar Content In Starbucks Protein Drinks
Broad Agreement'Sugar-free' protein drinks contain 13-21g sugar per serving
Comparison To Reese's Peanut Butter Cup
Broad Agreement'Venti' drink has more sugar than a Reese's cup
Starbucks' Defense
Broad AgreementStarbucks claims no added sugars, lists nutritional info clearly
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The lawsuit names four warm and four iced protein drinks, including Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Matcha, which is listed as containing 16 grams of sugar in a grande (16-ounce) serving and 21 grams in a venti (20-ounce) serving. For comparison, a single Reese's peanut butter cup contains 11 grams of sugar.
Starbucks has responded by stating that the sugar in its protein drinks comes from the protein-boosted milk used, not added sugars. A spokesman emphasized that the company clearly provides nutritional information across various platforms and intends to vigorously defend itself against these claims.
The plaintiffs allege that Starbucks' labeling is 'false, deceptive, and unlawful,' violating federal regulations which stipulate that a product can only be labeled as 'sugar-free' if it contains no more than 0.5 grams of sugar per reference amount. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for U.S. consumers who purchased these drinks and aims to prevent Starbucks from using the 'sugar-free' label on products containing sugar.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 3 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.