Perfect Bar Class Action Says Product Contains Excessive Sugar

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Two men allege in a class action lawsuit that so-called Perfect Bars contain excessive amounts of sugar and are falsely advertised as “health food.”

Lead plaintiffs, residents of New York and California, allege in the Perfect Bar class action lawsuit that sugar makes up 24 percent of the calories in Perfect Bars. The bars, manufactures by Perfect Bar LLC, are falsely advertised as healthy both on the product packaging and on the product’s website, say the plaintiffs, in order to drive up sales.

“The claims, designed to appeal to health conscious consumers, however, are deceptive because they are incompatible with the dangers of the excessive sugar consumption to which the Products contribute,” contends the complaint in the Perfect Bar class action lawsuit.

The Perfect Bar class action lawsuit points out that excessive sugar consumption “is toxic to the human body.” In fact, according to the complaint, any amount of sugar intake over 5 percent of a person’s daily caloric needs, can be problematic and lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

According to the Perfect Bar class action lawsuit, there has been a rise in consumption of sugar relatively recently – it wasn’t until 1700 AD that refined sugar was able to be mass produced, and worldwide growth and consumption of sugar did not occur until the 18^th century.

Despite growing evidence that the consumption of sugar leads to diseases, allege the plaintiffs, Americans continue to consume excessive amounts. Indeed, alleges the class action lawsuit, sugar is added to many foods, including pasta, bread, and even soup.

The Perfect Bar class action lawsuit points out that the food industry uses a variety of added “sugars,” including glucose and fructose. The body processes these sugars differently, with fructose being much harder for the liver to process. Although excess glucose consumption itself can lead to disease, fructose complicates the problem further, say the plaintiffs.

As a result of excessive sugar consumption in all forms, alleges the Perfect Bar class action lawsuit, people have suffered a rise in chronic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. Sugar has also been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and cognitive decline, according to the complaint.

“Consumers prefer healthful foods and are willing to pay more for, and purchase more often, products marketed and labeled as being healthy,” alleges the complaint in the Perfect Bar class action lawsuit. However, “Defendant employs a strategic marketing campaign intended to appeal to consumers interested in healthful foods in order to increase sales and profits, despite that the high-sugar bars are detrimental to health.”

The class action lawsuit points to statements on the Perfect Bar website touting the product as a healthy, on the go choice.

“Defendant also expressly mischaracterizes honey (the primary added sugar in the Products) as a ‘Complex Carbohydrate,’” alleges the Perfect Bar class action lawsuit. “’Sweetened with organic honey, a complex carbohydrate that will ensure your energy levels last.’ This claim is misleading because honey is an added sugar with its caloric content coming almost exclusively from fructose, glucose, maltose, sucrose, and other sugars.”

Furthermore, alleges the Perfect Bar class action lawsuit, the packaging urges consumers to avoid added sugars for health reasons.

The Perfect Bar class action lawsuit seeks to represent a nationwide class or, alternatively, New York and California classes, of consumers who purchased “these high-sugar Products” for personal use.

The Perfect Bar class action lawsuit is seeking damages, as well as a court order requiring the company to conduct a corrective advertising campaign.

The lead plaintiffs are represented by Paul K. Joseph of The Law Office of Paul K. Joseph, PC and Jack Fitzgerald, Trevor M. Flynn, and Melanie Persinger of The Law Office of Jack Fitzgerald, PC.

The Perfect Bar Class Action Lawsuit is Clark, et al. v. Perfect Bar, LLC, Case No. 3:18-cv-06006-WHA in the United States District Court Northern District of California.