Snapple falsely advertises drinks with added coloring as ‘all natural,’ class action claims

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A range of Snapple drinks that are advertised as being all natural in fact contain added coloring, a new class action lawsuit alleges.

The nationwide class action lawsuit was filed in California on May 12 by lead Plaintiffs Stephanie Escobar and Annemarie Newbold, who allege Snapple Beverage Corp. and Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. engaged in false, misleading, and deceptive advertising of Snapple drinks.

The beverages include Snapple’s Apple, Watermelon Lemonade, Kiwi Strawberry, Mango Madness, Orangeade, Raspberry Peach, Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade, Lemonade, and Pink Lemonade, which are advertised as being all natural, the claim states.

“In reality, and unbeknownst to consumers who rely on Defendants’ name and reputation, the Products contain added coloring, rendering the ‘All Natural’ labels false, misleading, and deceptive,” the class action lawsuit says.

Escobar and Newbold both relied on Snapple’s all natural labeling and advertising claims when purchasing the drinks, the claim states. “These claims were prepared and approved by Defendants and their agents and disseminated statewide and nationwide, to encourage consumers to purchase the Products.”

Because of the companies’ “unfair, unlawful, and fraudulent conduct,” the pair lost money and suffered injury, the class action lawsuit says.

According to the claim, the beverages manufactured and sold by Snapple and Dr Pepper contain food coloring agents from “vegetable and fruit juice concentrates,” “vegetable juice concentrates,” “fruit juice concentrates,” and “beta carotene.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regard foods with added coloring as natural, no matter the source of the coloring agent, the claim says, adding that natural products are defined as containing nothing artificial or synthetic (including colors regardless of source).

According to the class action lawsuit, Snapple and Dr Pepper cashed in on the public’s concern for natural and healthy food, and labeled their products as all natural even though they weren’t legally.

“The reasonable consumer will pay a price premium for products with an ‘All Natural’ label because they believe these products are safer, more nutritious, or otherwise have different attributes than products that do not have the label, all things being equal,” the claim states.

Escobar and Newbold want to represent anyone in the United States who purchased the Snapple beverages in the last four years, and also subclasses of California and Kentucky consumers. They are suing for breach of express warranty and violations of state consumer and advertising laws. They are seeking certification of the Class, corrective advertising, damages, interest, legal fees and costs, and a jury trial.

Snapple and Dr Pepper aren’t the only companies to face legal action for alleged false advertising or their food and drink products. This month, Post Foods, LLC agreed to a $15 million class action Settlement Agreement with consumers, who had filed a class action lawsuit alleging the company made its cereals seem healthy when the products contained high added sugar content.

Do you check the ingredients list of products labeled as all natural? Let us know in the comments section.

Escobar and Newbold are represented by Ryan J. Clarkson, Shireen M. Clarkson and Yana Hart of Clarkson Law Firm PC.

The Snapple false advertising class action lawsuit is Escobar, et al. v. Snapple Beverage Corp., et al., Case No. 2:21-cv-03987, in the U.S. District Court Central District of California.

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