Arizona All Natural Fruit Snacks Contain Synthetic Ingredients, Class Action Claims

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Arizona All Natural Fruit Snacks are the subject of a proposed class action that claims the advertising and marketing for the product is misleading. According to the suit, the purportedly all-natural fruit snacks contain synthetic ingredients that weren't disclosed as such to consumers.

Filed against Hornell Brewing Co., Inc.; Arizona Beverages USA LLC; Beverage Marketing USA, Inc. and Arizona Beverage Co., the case claims the “All Natural” representation on Arizona Fruit Snacks packaging leads consumers to believe the product contains only natural ingredients. In truth, the lawsuit alleges, Arizona Fruit Snacks are made with various synthetic ingredients, including citric acid, gelatin, ascorbic acid, dextrose, glucose syrup, and modified food starch.

The case argues that no reasonable consumer would expect a product labeled as “All Natural” to contain synthetic ingredients. Moreover, the complaint claims the defendants have taken advantage of consumers’ desire to pay more for natural products based on the belief that such are healthier than those made with synthetic ingredients.

“Indeed, consumers are willing to pay, and have paid, a premium price for products branded ‘natural’ over products that contain synthetic ingredients,” the complaint reads, adding that sales of natural products grew to as much as $180 billion by 2015.

The lawsuit argues that even with the presence of an ingredients list on a product’s label, consumers depend on the truthful labeling of products because they are unable to ascertain on their own the source of the ingredients in a snack food such as Arizona Fruit Snacks.

“Consumers lack the meaningful ability to test or independently ascertain or verify whether a product is natural, especially at the point of sale,” the suit contends. “Consumers would not know the true nature of the ingredients merely by reading the ingredients label.”

The plaintiff claims that because the Arizona “All Natural” Fruit Snacks were not, in fact, “all natural,” he paid more for the product than it was actually worth. He seeks to represent a proposed class of consumers who purchased Arizona fruit snacks in the U.S. during a to-be-determined time frame.