Nowadays, it seems like that “forever chemicals” thing is being mentioned in the headlines very often because so many brands and companies are coming under the spotlight after traces of these forever chemicals were found in their products, and that is pretty much the case with this Health Ade Kombucha Lawsuit. Though it is not a new case either, there were complaints regarding this a few years back, like 2017-18. So, if you don’t know much about the details yet, just keep on reading then.
Which Lawsuits Came When?
Not all legal issues around Health-Ade Kombucha began simultaneously. One of the earlier lawsuits was in 2017 when a competitor questioned the brand’s advertising methods. Later on, in March 2018, two different customer lawsuits were filed in California.
The customers in 2018 lawsuits argued that the results of independent lab testing had shown the presence of around 11 to 13 grams of sugar per serving in certain products, whereas the label stated only about 2 to 4 grams. Besides, they also expressed their worry that the alcohol levels in a few bottles could exceed 0.5 percent, which is the highest permissible level for drinks marketed as non-alcoholic.
Subsequently, a new customer initiated a class action lawsuit in New York on January 9, 2024. This time the case was not about sugar-related issues, rather it centered on PFAS chemicals. As per the lawsuit, PFAS had been detected in five drink flavors. The customer mentioned that this does not match with the healthy and natural image that the brand has created for itself.
At the moment, these issues have not yet been fully resolved, so no final decision has been made.
What Happened In The 2018 Sugar Case?
The 2018 cases against sugar and alcohol content were brought to the forefront. The complaint stated that some customers had taken the bottles to the lab, and the sugar amount was found to be far more than that stated on the label.
As a result, sugar content became an issue since many people choose kombucha when and reduce their intake of sugar or exercise a healthy diet. However, there is also an additional problem associated with this one. The customers stated that if the sugar content is higher, then the fermentation process might even result in an increased alcohol content.
This is important because the kombucha is expected to be non-alcoholic, and the bottle label with the word “non-alcoholic” is generally taken to mean that the consumer can assume the alcohol content does not exceed 0.5 percent.
Health-Ade wrote back that kombucha is a fermented drink. And, since fermentation is a natural process, the figures can vary over time. Apart from that, the company said that its own regular testing drinks showing that the beverage remains within the prescribed limits. Some similar cases in other jurisdictions have not been brought all the way, but the main federal issues related to these claims have continued for a longer time.
What’s The 2024 PFAS Case?
The 2024 case is about PFAS chemicals, which are also known as forever chemicals. These chemicals got this name because they hardly decompose and can remain in the environment for a very long time. PFAS have been one of the hot topics lately as a number of scientists have discovered that high exposure to these chemicals can lead to health problems.
In her complaint, the consumer alleged that the lab testing showed PFAS in five flavors of Health-Ade Kombucha. The case states that the consumer would have paid a lower price for the product or perhaps would not have purchased it at all, had she known about the presence of these chemicals. The complaint is seeking reimbursement and also wants the company to make changes to its labeling and check its production process for possible contamination. Up to that time, Health-Ade had not publicly responded in detail to the PFAS-related charges.
