A federal judge has ruled that Starbucks must face a lawsuit claiming that several of its refresher fruit beverages do not contain the advertised fruit. US District Judge John Cronan in Manhattan rejected Starbucks’ request to dismiss nine out of 11 claims in the proposed class action.
Customers had complained that beverages such as Mango Dragonfruit, Pineapple Passionfruit, and Strawberry Açai Refreshers did not actually contain the fruits mentioned in their names. Instead, the main ingredients were found to be water, grape juice concentrate, and sugar.
The plaintiffs argued that Starbucks’ misleading names led to them being overcharged, and that this violated consumer protection laws in their states. However, Starbucks maintained that the product names described the flavors rather than the ingredients, and that its menu boards accurately advertised those flavors. The company also argued that reasonable consumers would not be confused, and that its baristas could answer any questions regarding the beverages.
Judge Cronan disagreed with Starbucks, pointing out that terms like “mango,” “passionfruit,” and “açai” are typically understood to indicate both a flavor and an ingredient. He also noted that confusion might arise because other Starbucks products use ingredients in their names.
While the judge dismissed a fraud claim and an unjust enrichment claim, he ruled that the lawsuit can proceed on the basis that consumers were misled about the fruit content of the beverages.
Starbucks has denied the claims and stated that the allegations in the lawsuit are “inaccurate and without merit.” The lawsuit, which was filed in August 2022, seeks at least $5 million in damages.
Title: Starbucks Faces Lawsuit Over Misrepresentation of Fruit Content in Beverages
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