Kashi Mixed Berry Bar Contains ‘Less Berry,’ More Pear, Sugar, Tapioca, Says Class Action

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Kashi Bar False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit Overview: 

• Who: Plaintiff Kevin Harris has filed a class action lawsuit against Kashi, Sales L.L.C.
• Why: Harris alleges Kashi Mixed Berry Breakfast Bars contain “significantly less berry than expected,” and are made with pear juice, sugar, and tapioca instead. 
• Where: The class action lawsuit was lodged in Illinois federal court. 

Kashi Mixed Berry Soft Baked Breakfast Bars mislead consumers into thinking they are purchasing a healthy, berry-filled treat, alleges a class action lawsuit lodged in Illinois federal court Monday. 

Lead plaintiff Kevin Harris alleges Kashi’s colorful packaging misleads customers to believe the berry filling has more mixed berries and honey than it actually does. Harris wants to represent consumers in Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Arkansas, and Texas who bought the allegedly falsely advertised Kashi bar. Plaintiff accuses Kashi of negligent misrepresentation, fraud, and unjust enrichment. 

Mixed Berry Kashi Bar Made with Pear, Sugar, Tapioca

The class action lawsuit describes the front of the Mixed Berry bar’s packaging as showing a bar with “dark purple filling” and includes, among other words, the statements “Mixed Berry,” and “Made with Wildflower Honey.” 

The back of the Kashi bar’s claims the product contains “mixed berries,” and showing images of two “fresh” blueberries, one “plump” blackberry and a “ripe” strawberry.

The Kashi bar ingredient list on the back of the package reveals that the product contains “significantly less berry ingredients than expected,” says Harris. 

“The most predominant ingredient is pear juice concentrate, followed by tapioca syrup

and cane sugar, followed by blueberry puree concentrate, apple powder, corn starch, vegetable

glycerin, and finally, blackberry puree concentrate, blueberry juice concentrate and strawberry

puree concentrate,” states the class action lawsuit. 

Harris says the company is taking advantage of his and other consumers’ desire to eat healthier by exaggerating the amount of actual fruit in the mixed berry Kashi bar. 

“Many consumers seek snacks which are a ‘healthy indulgence,’ which is a ‘a treat with all the flavor and taste desired, without the guilt of eating something ‘bad’ for you,’ due to the presence of ingredients known to confer positive health benefits,” says the Kashi bar class action lawsuit. 

The class action lawsuit lists a variety of reasons why berries are believed to be good for your health, including high levels of antioxidants, vitamin C, and micronutrients. 

Harris alleges these health benefits cannot be achieved through the use of “berry flavor,” which can only recreate the fruit’s taste and used in the mixed berry Kashi bar. 

Federal and state regulations require a food product to accurately describe the nature of the food on the front of its packaging in accordance with the Illinois, Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act,  the class action lawsuit alleges.

“Consumers who seeing defendant’s Product, which exclusively promotes mixed berries, and the more ‘restrained’ or truthful labeling of competitors, will purchase defendant’s Product, believing it is higher quality than it is,” says the class action lawsuit. 

The Plaintiff also alleges the Defendant did not adequately label how much pear flavoring was in the product. 

Kashi has faced false advertising claims before and has paid nearly $4 million in a class action settlement over its GoLean cereal. 

Kellogg Sales Co., was similarly accused of misleading customers about the health benefits of its breakfast cereals in 2018. Kellogg agreed to pay a $13 million settlement to consumers who felt deceived by the products labeling earlier this month. 

Do you believe Kashi misled consumers with its packaging? Have you eaten its Mixed Berry bar? Let us know in the comments! 

The plaintiff is represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates, P.C.

The Kashi Class Action Lawsuit is Harris v. Kashi Sales, L.L.C., Case No. 1:21-cv-04359, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. 

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