---
title: "PepsiCo resolves lawsuit over Gatorade bar health claims"
description: "PepsiCo has resolved a lawsuit alleging false marketing of its Gatorade protein bars, which were claimed to be beneficial despite containing more sugar than protein. The U.S. District Judge dismissed "
type: "news"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/262955539.md"
published_at: "2025-10-27T20:17:35.000Z"
---

# PepsiCo resolves lawsuit over Gatorade bar health claims

> PepsiCo has resolved a lawsuit alleging false marketing of its Gatorade protein bars, which were claimed to be beneficial despite containing more sugar than protein. The U.S. District Judge dismissed the class action with prejudice, preventing re-filing. Plaintiffs argued the bars, labeled as muscle-rebuilding and science-backed, were misleading due to high sugar content. PepsiCo contended it did not market the bars as healthy. The case was dismissed in the Northern District of California.

By Jonathan Stempel

Oct 27 (Reuters) - PepsiCo (PEP.O) has resolved a lawsuit accusing it of falsely marketing its Gatorade protein bars as good for you, though they contain more sugar than protein and more sugar than Snickers bars and chocolate-frosted Dunkin’ donuts.

U.S. District Judge Casey Pitts in San Jose, California, on Monday dismissed the proposed class action with prejudice, meaning the case cannot be brought again, at the request of PepsiCo and three self-described fitness enthusiasts who sued.

It was unclear whether the parties settled following court-ordered mediation. PepsiCo and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Maia Kats, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, declined to comment.

PepsiCo was accused of violating federal and state consumer protection laws by assuring that Gatorade bars “help muscles rebuild,” are “used by the pros” and are “backed by science.”

The plaintiffs said the bars were actually “fortified junk food” with 28 grams of added sugar, above the American Heart Association’s recommended 25 gram daily limit for women, and just 20 grams of protein.

They said excess added sugar is linked to high rates of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and they wouldn’t have bought the bars or would have paid less had they understood the contents.

PepsiCo had called the deception claims “implausible” because it did not market Gatorade bars as healthy or low in sugar, especially for flavors such as Chocolate Chip and Cookies and Cream.

Pitts let the case proceed in August 2024, saying reasonable consumers might be confused by PepsiCo’s labels and misled by its “self-proclaimed science-backed claims.”

PepsiCo is based in Purchase, New York. Its dozens of brands also include Fritos, Lay’s, Mountain Dew and Ocean Spray.

The case is McCausland et al v PepsiCo Inc, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 23-04526.

### Related Stocks

- [PEP.US - PepsiCo](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/PEP.US.md)

## Related News & Research

| Title | Description | URL |
|-------|-------------|-----|
| PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP Shares Purchased by Crestwood Advisors Group LLC | Crestwood Advisors Group LLC increased its stake in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) by 179.5% in Q3, owning 194,633 shares va | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276109294.md) |
| Atria Investments Inc Has $13.65 Million Holdings in PepsiCo, Inc. $PEP | Atria Investments Inc reduced its stake in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP) by 9.3% in Q3, holding 97,185 shares valued at ap | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/275870124.md) |
| PepsiCo files for four part notes offering of up to EUR2.5 billion - SEC filing | PepsiCo files for four part notes offering of up to EUR2.5 billion - SEC filing | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/275003168.md) |
| Why your Valentine's chocolates are so expensive | Cocoa prices have significantly dropped this year, continuing a trend from record highs, impacting major cocoa exporters | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/275883996.md) |
| UFC AND FOODSTORY BRANDS ANNOUNCE GROUNDBREAKING PARTNERSHIP TO CREATE NEW UFC PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE-BACKED PROTEIN BAR \| TKO Stock News | UFC has partnered with FoodStory Brands to create a high-performance protein bar aimed at the performance nutrition mark | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/275633301.md) |

---

> **Disclaimer**: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.