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The company behind Benefiber natural fiber supplement is facing a new federal class action lawsuit over claims the product is not 100% natural despite its labeling and advertising.
Benefiber Original Prebiotic Powder and Benefiber Healthy Shape Prebiotic Powder both contain wheat dextrin, an ingredient derived from natural elements, but manipulated into a synthetic one, according to the class action lawsuit. That means the product is not completely natural and the fiber supplement is inaccurately labeled, the legal challenge claims.
The case is being brought by consumer Tiffany Griffin of Texas, who has purchased Benefiber products for her own use several times, as recently as May 3. She chose Benefiber because she wanted a natural fiber supplement, she said, and after learning about the wheat dextrin, decided to take action.
Griffin filed the class action lawsuit against Benefiber’s parent company, GSK Consumer Health, in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on Nov. 23. She claims the company has violated the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and has engaged in common law fraud and unjust enrichment by labeling its natural fiber supplements in an intentionally misleading way.
“[GSK Consumer Health] manufactures, sells, and distributes these products through a marketing and advertising strategy that emphasizes [they] are ‘100% Natural,’ which is a claim that appeals to health-conscious consumers,” the class action lawsuit’s complaint says. “Their advertising and marketing campaign, however, is false, fraudulent, deceptive, and misleading.”
Consumers have suffered actual harm because of the inaccurate labeling and marketing, which led them to buy Benefiber “under false pretenses,” often at a higher price than that of other fiber supplements on the market, Griffin’s lawyers allege.
“The use of the term ‘natural,’ let alone ‘100% Natural,’ is a powerful statement that is important to consumers,” the class action says.
GSK Consumer Health has faced scrutiny on the subject of its labeling and marketing before.
One of the company’s competitors, Procter & Gamble, complained to the National Advertising Division about it earlier this year. The National Advertising Division, or NAD, is the advertising industry’s self-regulatory panel.
In May, after investigating the complaint, the NAD concluded GSK “deceptively labeled and misrepresented the products,” the Griffin class action lawsuit says. Further, the agency determined that labeling Benefiber a natural fiber supplement is “inconsistent with the reasonable finding that wheat dextrin is actually a synthetic ingredient due to the complex chemical process required to produce it,” according to the class action.
Griffin wants to represent a nationwide Class of consumers who have purchased the Benefiber products she is challenging and a separate Class of consumers from her home state of Texas. Her lawyers say they can’t be sure yet how many consumers will be involved in the case, but estimate there are “thousands to hundreds of thousands” of potential Class Members.
The Griffin class action is not the first to challenge the maker of Benefiber.
In June, consumer Phillip White filed a class action lawsuit against the company in federal court in California, accusing the manufacturer of taking advantage of what his lawyers call the “greenwashing” trend – the increasing demand for all-natural and “green” products. White accused GSK of changing Benefiber’s labeling to meet the demand, but not its ingredients.
Do you buy Benefiber Original Prebiotic Powder and Benefiber Healthy Shape Prebiotic Powder because you want a natural fiber supplement, not a synthetic one? Tell us about it in the comment section below.
Griffin, who is the lead plaintiff, and the proposed Class Members are represented by David C. Magagna Jr. and Charles E. Schaffer of Levin Sedran & Berman; Gary M. Klinger, Gary E. Mason and David K. Lietz of Mason Lieta & Klinger LLP.
The Natural Fiber Supplement Class Action Lawsuit is Tiffany Griffin, et al. v. GSK Consumer Health, Inc., Case No. 3:20-cv-16941 in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
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497 thoughts onNew Class Action Lawsuit Challenges Benefiber Natural Fiber Supplement Labeling
Oh thats just so wrong and deceitful…im tired of companies lying to make a buck. I take it because supposed to be all natural..should of knew better. Yeap add me to the list!!!
Dr recommended this after bowel surgery I have since 2006 add me also
Yes I use it because the Dr. Told me to use in my orange juice and coffee it would be good for me add me too
I’ve recently started taking benefiber add me please