Suit claims Naked Juice isn't as healthy as its label implies
Images of Naked Juice Kale Blazer from the company’s website.
PepsiCo names its Naked Juice products after ingredients thought to be highly nutritious, though the beverages actually contain cheaper and less nutritious ingredients like apple juice, according to a lawsuit filed last week.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest filed the lawsuit on behalf of consumers who say they were misled by the marketing, according to a press release and stories by Time, Reuters and Fortune. The suit says the consumers thought they were paying more for Naked Juice because of high-value ingredients.
The primary ingredient in Naked Juice Kale Blazer, for example, is orange juice and the third ingredient is apple juice, according to CSPI. Yet labels picture kale, leafy greens and two cucumber slices. Oranges and apples are not pictured on the labels.
“Kale is the king of the garden,” the text says on the side of the bottle. “And, when it’s blended with cucumber, spinach, celery and a pinch of ginger, you get a royal roundtable of yum. Long live greens.”
The bottle also says “no sugar added,” even though the drink contains eight teaspoons of sugar, mostly from the apple and orange juice.
Small text on the bottom of the bottle reads, “All sugars come from the fruit and/or vegetables. Not a low calorie food,” the suit says. The small print also reads “Kale flavored 8 juice blend.”
The suit, which seeks class action status, alleges unjust enrichment and violation of consumer laws.
PepsiCo said in a statement there is nothing misleading about its Naked Juice products. “Every bottle of Naked Juice clearly identifies the fruit and vegetables that are within,” the statement said. “For example, the label on our Kale Blazer juice accurately indicates each bottle contains 5 3/4 Kale leaves. …
“We hold ourselves to a high standard and proudly support clear and transparent labeling of all ingredients on our packaging, on our website and in our marketing.”
