GNC Class Action Says Aloe Vera Skin Gel Contains No Aloe

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GNC faces a class action lawsuit alleging the nutrition retailer falsely labels its Aloe Vera Skin Gel as containing 99 percent aloe, when in fact it “contains no actual Aloe Vera at all.”

Plaintiff Thera Lambert argues that, “the product’s label is false, deceptive, and misleading, in violation of the Federal Drug and Cosmetics Act and its parallel state statues, and almost every state warranty, consumer protection, and product labeling law in the United States.”

Lambert says she bought GNC’s aloe vera for the proposed relief of sunburn and general skin healing. The lawsuit claims she relied on the product’s “true” representation and accurate product label to cement her decision in purchasing the product.

Moreover, the purported label of the product and in that it contains 99 percent Aloe Vera led her to that specific purchase decision.

According to the lawsuit, the origins of Aloe Vera gel come from an extract of an Aloe Vera plant species whose scientific name is, Aloe Barbadensis. Also, included as a dominant ingredient in Aloe Vera gel is “Aloe barbadensis Leaf Juice.” Known worldwide for its sunburn relief, it has even been believed to treat such things as the common cold and hypertension when consumed.

However, when the plaintiff had the product tested for Aloe Vera, the proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (H-NMR), which was used to locate the ingredient, allegedly found no such thing.

“The results show that it does not contain any Aloe Vera or Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice. Furthermore, Acemannan, a signature Aloe Vera chemical component that indicates the presence of Aloe, was not detected in the sample of GNC’s product,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit further quotes from the International Aloe Science Council who state that “products that do not contain Acemannan are not considered to be true aloe vera.”

The plaintiff contends that she would “not have purchased the product had she known that the product did not contain Aloe Vera.”

Accordingly, Lambert says she has sustained monetary damages from being misled into buying Aloe Vera gel that contains no Aloe Vera. The product consequently bears no value and the defendants’ misrepresentation has been deemed fraudulent by the plaintiff and as such, unlawful, unfair, and deceitful.

Lambert seeks to represent GNC customers in California, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey and New York who purchased the Aloe Vera product for personal use.

The plaintiff is represented by Katrina Carroll, Kyle A. Shamberg and Ismael Salam of Lite DePalma Greenberg LLC; Nick Suciu III of Barbat, Mansour & Suciu PLLC; Jonathan Shub of Kohn, Swift & Graf PC; Jason Thompson and Amy L. Marino of Sommers Schwartz PC; Brian J. Wanca and Jeffrey Berman of Anderson + Wanca; Jason T. Brown and Patrick S. Almonrode of The JTB Law Group LLC; Gregory F. Coleman of Greg Coleman Law PC; Michael F. Ram and Susan Brown of Ram, Olson, Cereghino & Kopczynski LLP; Rachel Soffin and Jonathan B. Cohen of Morgan & Morgan Complex Litigation Group; Donald J. Enright and Lori G. Feldman of Levi and Korsinsky LLP; and Samuel J. Strauss of Turke & Strauss LLP.

The GNC Aloe Vera Class Action Lawsuit is Thera Lambert v. General Nutrition Corporation, Case No. 1:17-cv-02149, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.