Benefiber Benefits Are Misleading, Class Action Says

A recent class action lawsuit says that Benefiber benefits are misrepresented for Benefiber Healthy Shape and other products.

Plaintiff Anjelika Angeles challenges claims that Benefiber Healthy Shape and other fiber products are natural, can manage appetites, and support healthy digestive bacteria. Allegedly, these marketing claims mislead consumers into believing inflated Benefiber benefits and therefore they pay more for the products.

Fiber is essential for a healthy diet and is often found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other foods. Although finding high-fiber foods isn’t difficult, some consumers prefer to use fiber supplements in order to ensure they get enough fiber to support their digestive health.

One popular option for fiber supplementation is Benefiber. Benefiber Healthy Shape and other products are reportedly marketed with a variety of claims including “100% Natural,” “Prebiotic Fiber Supplement,” “Helps You Feel Fuller Longer – Clinically Proven” and “Nourishes Good Bacteria.” Although some of these statements may be true, the “100% Natural” advertisement is allegedly false.

According to Angeles, the products contain “wheat dextrin” – the source of fiber in Benefiber. Unfortunately, the process of turning wheat starch to wheat dextrin reportedly involves unnatural ingredients.

To turn wheat starch into wheat dextrin, the process reportedly involves hydrochloric acid, added enzymes, and many other factors to make the result soluble, non-digestible, viscous, sweet, and containing 85% fiber. Although this process helps Benefiber products be effective, Angeles says that the resulting product is not natural.

“Reasonable consumers find production processes which Benefiber uses to be inconsistent with how they understand the terms ‘natural’ and ‘100% natural,’” the Benefiber benefits class action lawsuit contends.

Angeles also challenges claims that Benefiber benefits include staying full for longer and curbing cravings. Although fiber can be a good support to digestive health, Angeles argues that there is no competent, reliable, and independent research backing up these claims.

Instead, these claims allegedly rely on research done by the manufacturer – bearing a clear bias and failing to provide solid evidence. Angeles notes that these studies “focus on different population groups and the data measured outcomes and types of fiber which bear no relation to defendant’s health and satiety-inducing claims.”

Additionally, Angeles claims that Benefiber Health Shape and other products cannot nourish good bacteria as claimed in the product packaging. The fiber products reportedly dissolve before they can have a positive effect on gut bacteria.

Even if the products did affect gut bacteria, Angeles argues that they are unable to specifically target “good” bacteria that helps with a person’s health or well being.

However, despite this fact, Benefiber benefits are allegedly marketed to including “nourish[ing] good bacteria.”

According to the Benefiber benefits class action lawsuit, consumers are likely to be deceived by the product representations. Reasonable customers such as Angeles reportedly have no previous knowledge about how Benefiber is made or how it is absorbed into the body. Benefiber benefit claims allegedly take advantage of this fact by using representations which most consumers wouldn’t be able to refute.

Angeles notes that many consumers are careful to choose products which are healthy or supportive of a healthy lifestyle. When products are marketed as healthy, helpful in weight loss, or otherwise beneficial, consumers are allegedly willing to pay more.

“Defendant’s branding and packaging of the Product is designed to – and does – deceive, mislead, and defraud plaintiff and consumers,” the Benefiber benefits class action lawsuit claims.

“Defendant sold more of the Product and at higher prices than it would have in the absence of this misconduct, resulting in additional profits at the expense of consumers like plaintiff.”

As a result of the alleged misrepresentation, Angeles and other consumers have been financially injured.

The plaintiff argues that she and other consumers likely would not have purchased Benefiber Health Shape and other Benefiber supplements if they were aware that the product advertisements were false. Even if they had purchased the products, Angeles argues that she and other customers would have paid significant less if they knew the truth.

Angeles seeks to represent a Class of consumers from New York who purchased Benefiber Healthy Shape and other misrepresented Benefiber products. On behalf of herself and this proposed Class, Angeles seeks restitution, disgorgement, monetary damages, injunctive relief, interest, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

Have you purchased Benefiber Healthy Shape products? Do you think Benefiber benefits are overstated? Let us know in the comment section below.

Angeles and the proposed Class are represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC.

The Benefiber Healthy Shape Benefits Class Action Lawsuit is Anjelika Angeles v. GlaxoSmithSline Consumer Healthcare LLC, Case No. 1:20-cv-06883, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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