Trader Joes, Welchs slapped with lawsuits over ingredients lurking in sugar-free foods

Health-conscious snackers are getting a bitter taste of reality.Grocery giant Trader Joe’s and fruit-snack titan Welch’s are facing a barrage of federal class action lawsuits claiming their “sugar-free” and “no sugar added” treats are sweet little lies.The legal onslaught centers on a trendy low-calorie sweetener allulose — which plaintiffs argue is, legally and chemically speaking, pure sugar.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story A proposed class-action lawsuit filed against Trader Joe’s in Illinois federal court claims the cult-favorite grocer misled shoppers with its “no sugar added” dark chocolate chips because the product is sweetened with allulose.Meanwhile, four separate lawsuits filed in California, Illinois, and New York this month takes aim at Welch’s Zero Sugar Fruity Bites, including its Mixed Fruit, Berries ‘N Cherries and Island Fruits varieties.

Those lawsuits similarly allege the snacks are marketed as sugar-free even though allulose is used as a sweetener — luring shoppers in to buy the product based on the promise of zero sugar.Filed on Sept.16, the complaint against Trader Joe’s argues that allulose is a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, and therefore falls within the regulatory definition of sugar.

The claims state that it’s hardly a trace ingredient, either, and it’s actually listed second in the chocolate chips fine print — behind unsweetened chocolate and ahead of cocoa butter.The Illinois consumers who filed the complaint, Erin Alexander and Hailey Worthy, accuse the California-based grocery chain of “health washing” to cash in on health-conscious shoppers looking to trim their waistlines.

“Defendant made its Representations about ‘No Sugar Added’ to its Product in order to induce health-consciou...