Class Action Lawsuit Claims GoMacro Snack Bars Falsely Advertised as ‘Healthy’

New to ClassAction.org? Read our Newswire Disclaimer

A proposed class action lawsuit claims that GoMacro snack bars are falsely advertised as health-forward, given that the products, which are consumed by children, contain a substantial amount of added sugar per serving.

Get class action lawsuit and settlement news sent to your inbox – sign up for ClassAction.org’s free weekly newsletter.

The 40-page lawsuit stresses that a “vast body of reliable scientific evidence” establishes that consumption of added sugar in amounts above roughly five percent of the body’s daily caloric intake is toxic and greatly increases the risk of certain chronic diseases.

Although the GoMacro snack bars are advertised as healthy, the products contain between seven and 13 grams of added sugar, making up between 11 percent and 24 percent of the bars’ calories per serving, depending on the flavor, the lawsuit says.

The filing states that despite the snacks’ added-sugar content, GoMacro’s advertising and product packaging frequently include claims and slogans such as “live long,” “have a healthy body,” “eat positive,” “be well” and “Finally — a bar that’s both delicious and good for you!” Additionally, the defendant’s website boasts customer testimonials promoting the snack bars as “healthy snacks” for kids and adults, and contains a link to a Forbes article titled “Who Runs the Better-For-You Food World? These 6 Women,” in which GoMacro is included in the list of top health-conscious food brands.

The complaint claims that GoMacro is aware of the growing consumer demand for healthy food products and seeks to profit from that market, especially since consumers across the board are often willing to pay more for products they perceive as healthier.

The lawsuit also cites several studies and surveys that report that the average American consumer relies far more on advertisements and product label claims to obtain information about a food item’s health value, rather than the back-label nutrition facts panel. Additionally, the complaint alleges that GoMacro even encourages consumers to pay more attention to the ingredient list than the proportions, amounts or weights of those ingredients, as the company states on its website that “it is more important to know where your calories, carbohydrates, fat, etc. are coming from than just the numbers.”

The lawsuit contends that despite GoMacro’s accurate reporting of its added sugar content on the nutrition facts panel, the disclosure is insufficient to properly inform consumers and does not supersede the alleged misrepresentations of the products as healthy.

The GoMacro class action lawsuit seeks to represent anyone who purchased any GoMacro Protein Bars, Snack Bars or Kids MacroBars for personal or household use and not for resale within the last four years.

Want to learn how to start a class action lawsuit? We’ve got you covered.