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We Asked Starbucks Why Their 'Sugar-Free' Drinks Have Sugar and Now We're Just More Confused
Gizmodo • • business
Key Points:
- A federal lawsuit alleges Starbucks is misleading consumers by marketing certain drinks as "sugar-free" despite containing significant sugar amounts, with some beverages showing up to 21 grams of sugar on nutrition labels.
- The lawsuit, filed by Hagens Berman on behalf of plaintiffs in California, Washington, and New York, highlights health risks for consumers, particularly diabetics, who rely on accurate sugar content information.
- Starbucks denies the allegations, stating that sugar content comes from milk used in the protein drinks, not from added sugars or flavorings, and asserts it provides clear nutritional information across its platforms.
- The company’s explanation distinguishes between naturally occurring sugar in milk and added sugar, but this distinction is not clearly communicated to consumers, leading to confusion about the "sugar-free" labeling.
- Consumers typically expect "sugar-free" labels to indicate zero grams of sugar, whereas Starbucks’ labeling may mislead by not explicitly clarifying the presence of naturally occurring sugars in their products.
