Naked Juice may not be bottles of health, according to lawsuit
A suit has been filed against PepsiCo, the parent company of Naked Juice, which the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) claims that the fruit juices are not nearly as nutritious as the bottles claim.
The suit by the non-profit said that the fruit-and-vegetable-based juices, which are advertised as “predominantly containing high-value ingredients such as acai berry, blueberries, kale, and mango, when in fact the predominant ingredient in the product line is usually cheap, nutrient-poor apple juice.”
It’s a weighty accusation, reported by RealSimple.com, that also said that Naked Juice’s claims of “no sugar added” were false as well, claiming that some “healthy” juices have eight teaspoons of sugar, while a 12-oz can of soda from PepsiCo can contain 10.
The suit also claims that the company tricked consumers by giving the juices healthy names, which they claimed was misleading, and said that the juices claimed to have more healthy ingredients, like kale and other greens, rather than being mostly apple and orange juice.
Naked Juice advertisements on social media have even stated that, “…you might actually live forever because kale has tons of antioxidants that combat aging,” and that the drink is a way to “pack more kale into your diet.”
The suit claims that people would not have bought the juices knowing what they claimed is the truth and it is seeking refunds for consumers and an injunction to stop what CSPI says is false marketing.
“Consumers are paying higher prices for the healthful and expensive ingredients advertised on Naked labels,” said CSPI litigation director Maia Kats in the story. “They’re not getting what they paid for.” Other flavors mentioned in the legal filings include Green Machine and Very Berry.
In a statement, PepsiCo said: “There is nothing misleading about our Naked Juice products. Every bottle of Naked Juice clearly identifies the fruit and vegetables that are within. For example, the label on our Kale Blazer juice accurately indicates each bottle contains 5 ¾ Kale leaves.”
In 2013, Naked Juice was involved in a class-action lawsuit, which was settled, for its use of the term “all natural” on its labels. CSPI has also sued other brands, including Coca-Cola’s Vitaminwater, over health claims made on their labels.