Soda brand Poppi face $5million lawsuit for ‘misleading’ customers

A ‘healthy’ fruit soda that’s loved by celebrities is ‘misleading’ customers with claims it is good for your gut, according to a $5million lawsuit filed against the firm behind the drink.

Poppi soda costs $2.49 per can and has garnered a significant following, including celebrities like JLo and Paris Hilton who have inked lucritive advertising deals with the drink’s makers.

It claims to be ‘better for you’ due to the two grams of prebiotic fiber that are in every can — said to help boost healthy bacteria in the gut that are important for a host of vital health functions.

However, a group of disgrunted customers and nutritionists are now accusing its makers of selling ‘sugared water’ under the guise of a gut-boosting beverage. 

The plaintiffs in the class action suit say that two grams is too little to benefit anyone, unless a person drinks about four cans daily. At that point, the 20 grams of sugar —  the equivalent of three cookies — would offset any benefit from the prebiotic.

The complaint, filed in the Northern District Court of California, has been brought by San Francisco resident Kristin Cobbs and other customers.

Ms Cobbs claims that she, like many others, was ‘misled’ by the company when she reached for them at the grocery store and may have unknowingly put their personal health at risk, given that an excess of sugar in the diet can contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and myriad other health issues.

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The lawsuit alleges that the company misled customers by overstating its health benefits that come from the inclusion of agave inulin, a type of fiber extracted from plants and a prebiotic. 

It says that consumers ‘were unable to determine that Poppi not only failed to provide “prebiotic” gut health benefits, but also posed digestive and liver issues while likely counteracting any prebiotic benefits because of its sugar content, when consumed regularly.’

Nutrition studies cited in the lawsuit note that taking as much as 7.5 grams of agave inulin every day for three weeks – which would equate to nearly four sodas – ‘is insufficient to confer any meaningful prebiotic benefits.’

‘As a consequence, a consumer would need to drink more than four Poppi sodas daily for 21 consecutive days before potentially noticing any meaningful and reliable “prebiotic” effects.’ 

The lawsuit cites nutrition researchers who have published findings about the benefits of agave inulin as well as the harms, with one researchers stating, ‘not only can it cause a lot of gas, but it’s not the same as an insoluble fiber.’ 

And one nutritionist bluntly explained that the products ‘are basically sugared water.’ 

US dietary guidelines recommend that men consume a maximum of nine teaspoons (36 grams) of sugar daily and that women limit their sugar intake to six teaspoons (25 grams).

Poppi insists that the lawsuit is baseless, saying, ‘we will vigorously defend against these allegations.’

The brand was born out of a successful 2018 pitch on ABC’s Shark Tank. 

Since then, the cans, which retail for about $2.49 each, have taken a coveted spot on Whole Foods shelves and those of around 120 other major retailers.

Sales have since topped $100 million, helped by high-profile celebrities guzzling the sodas, including Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Jenner, Olivia Munn, and Post Malone.

Poppi is also seeing a meteoric rise in popularity. 

It is now the 11th-fastest growing beverage brand, beating out the likes of Gatorade and Liquid Death, according to Business Insider.