According to Reuters, Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., the maker of 7UP, was sued on Nov. 8 for allegedly misleading consumers over the supposed health benefits of an antioxidant it uses in some varieties of the soft drink. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) said the company’s advertising and packaging suggest that the drinks contain antioxidants from blackberries, cherries, cranberries, pomegranates, and raspberries, rather than added vitamin E.
In response the lawsuit, the company released this stated: “This is another attempt by the food police at CSPI to mislead consumers about soft drinks. 7UP Cherry is a cherry flavored soda that does not contain juice ... and it says so right on the label. 7UP Cherry is properly labeled under all FDA regulations so that consumers can make an informed choice.
When CSPI first contacted us in June, we told them that in 2011 we decided to re-label and reformulate 7UP Cherry. The new 7UP Cherry will not contain antioxidants to be consistent with the formulation and appearance of other 7UP products. We also told CSPI that the new 7UP Cherry will be on store shelves in Feb. 2013. However, they refused to hear the truth and instead ran to the overburdened courthouses with their latest publicity-seeking lawsuit.”
The lawsuit was filed with the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Calif. It seeks class-action status on behalf of purchasers nationwide of the products, a variety of financial damages, and a halt to the alleged misleading advertising. The named plaintiff is David Green, a resident of Sherman Oaks, Calif., who said he would not have bought the soft drinks had he known their antioxidants did not come from fruit.
