Pure Leaf Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over “All Natural” Claims

An “all natural” class action lawsuit has been filed against the makers of Pure Leaf Iced Tea, alleging that the manufacturing and distribution companies deceptively packaged and marketed their product as containing “no preservatives,” when the beverage actually contains synthetic preservatives.

Lead plaintiff Momo Ren of New York filed the proposed class action lawsuit against Unilever United States Inc., PepsiCo Inc., and the Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership for failing to disclose that Pure Leaf Iced Tea contains citric acid. He claims that citric acid not extracted from citrus fruits, but is rather a complex chemical that is industrially synthesized.

According to the Pure Leaf class action lawsuit, the defendants consistently conveyed a message to consumers that the “real brewed tea” is pure, freshly brewed tea with no preservatives or artificial coloring. Ren alleges that Unilever and PepsiCo, “would have the consumers believe that drinking the product is the same as drinking freshly brewed tea from tea leaves at home.”

Ren claims that the manufacturers added the synthetic ingredient in order to give the product a longer shelf life. He claims that a bottle of tea would turn stale and moldy within a few days and “would certainly not keep its ‘fresh brewed taste’ for months of the products’ shelf life, as defendants have promised on each and every product label.”

“All Natural” Federal Standards

By adding citric acid to the Pure Leaf Iced Tea product, Ren claims the company has misbranded the product as “all natural,” which is in violation of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).

According to the FDCA, a food is considered misbranded if “its labeling is false or misleading in any particular.” Ren also alleges Unilever and PepsiCo have violated various state misbranding laws that are similar in nature to the federal ones.

“All natural,” as defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, are products that do not have any added colors, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances. Federal regulations define a synthetic ingredient as a “substance that is formulated or manufactured by a chemical process.” Ren believes based on the federal requirements, Pure Leaf Iced Tea cannot be labeled as “all natural.”

“All Natural” Class Action Lawsuits

A growing number of “all natural” class action lawsuits are being filed by consumers who feel misled into purchasing a product based on “natural” claims when it allegedly contains synthetic ingredients. A general allegation of “all natural” lawsuits is that companies intentionally engage in this false advertising practice in order to demand a higher price.

Ren alleges that the manufacturers intentionally tried to deceive Pure Leaf consumers by their conduct in order to charge a “premium” price. The plaintiff claims he paid $2.19 (or more) for an individual Pure Leaf product, which is a significantly higher price than other iced teas simply, because he relied on the defendants “all natural” claims.

Ren expects thousands of Class Members will join the “all natural” class action lawsuit once it is approved. The proposed Pure Leaf “All Natural” Class Action Lawsuit would be open to “all persons or entities in the State of New York who made retail purchases of the products during the applicable limitations period, and/or such subclasses as the court may deem appropriate.”

The Pure Leaf “All Natural” Class Action Lawsuit is Momo Ren and John Does 1-100 v. Unilever United States Inc., PepsiCo Inc., and the Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership, Case No. 156463/2015, in the Supreme Court of the State of New York.

Free All-Natural Food Label Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

Did you purchase a food product because the label said it was “Natural,” “All Natural,” “100% Natural” or used a similar term?

Some food products labeled “Natural,” “All Natural,” or “100% Natural” are not, in fact, natural because they contain unnatural ingredients, such as artificial additives, synthetic vitamins, and/or chemical preservatives.

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