Starbucks sued over “sugar-free” protein drinks with up to 21g of sugar
Version 2: More outlets have picked up the lawsuit, adding detail: NBC News reports the drinks contain 13 to 21 grams of sugar per serving and that Starbucks said it will vigorously defend itself, while ABC News notes the protein drinks were launched in September 2025 and Reuters has also covered the case.
In short
A federal lawsuit filed late Friday in Seattle alleges that eight Starbucks protein beverages sold in the U.S. contain 13 to 21 grams of sugar even though the company lists them as sugarless. The class action firm Hagens Berman filed the suit on behalf of three consumers in California, New York and Washington. Starbucks said the sugar comes from the protein-boosted milk it uses, that it adds no sugar, and that it believes the claims have no merit.
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Starbucks is facing a consumer lawsuit over claims that protein drinks labeled “sugar-free” on its cafe menus may contain more sugar than a Reese’s peanut butter cup, according to the Associated Press, The Seattle Times and The Boston Globe. The federal lawsuit, filed late Friday in Seattle, alleges that eight protein beverages Starbucks sells in the U.S. contain varying amounts of sugar even though the company lists them as sugarless. NBC News reported, citing the filing, that the drinks contain 13 to 21 grams of sugar per serving. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
On Monday, the menu on Starbucks’ U.S. website listed a 16-ounce (0.5-liter) Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Matcha with 16 grams of sugar and a 20-ounce (0.6-liter) version with 21 grams, the Associated Press, The Seattle Times and The Boston Globe reported, compared with 11 grams in one Reese’s peanut butter cup. NBC News said the products at issue include hot and iced protein lattes and protein matcha beverages in vanilla and caramel flavors, and that the lawsuit contends “No reasonable person” would expect a drink labeled “sugar-free” to contain that much sugar. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
Hagens Berman, a law firm that specializes in class action cases, filed the suit on behalf of three individual consumers who bought the drinks in California, New York and Washington. The plaintiffs contend that Starbucks’ naming and marketing of the products is “false, deceptive and unlawful” and that the company violated federal labeling regulations. NBC News reported the filing says “This case is about false and misleading product names. It is not about missing nutritional information,” and that the lawsuit seeks damages on behalf of U.S. consumers who bought the drinks. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
“Consumers avoid sugar for various reasons, whether that be general health, diabetes and blood glucose levels or other factors, and for many, a staunch mislabeling like this is significant,” said Steve Berman, a co-founder and managing partner of the Seattle-headquartered firm. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
Seattle-based Starbucks said the sugar in its protein drinks comes from the protein-boosted milk it uses. The company said it does not add sugar to the drinks and uses sugar-free syrup for flavoring. On its website Monday, the drinks were marketed as “sugar-free,” but the company also stated the amount of sugar in each beverage and that they were made without added sugar. “We believe these claims have no merit,” a Starbucks spokesperson said, adding that the company has “consistently and clearly provided information about its protein beverages, sugar-free options, customization choices, and nutritional content.” NBC News reported the company also said it intends to “vigorously defend ourselves in this matter.” [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
ABC News, in a video headline and summary, noted that Starbucks introduced protein drinks in September 2025 to meet consumer demand for functional beverages and to catch up to rivals such as Dutch Bros, which launched protein-enhanced coffee drinks in 2024. [ 6 ]
Reuters also reported, in English and in Spanish, that Starbucks was being sued over the “sugar-free” claims for its protein beverages. No document gives a case number, a hearing date or a damages figure. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The case turns on the gap between a “sugar-free” menu label and sugar figures the company itself publishes, for drinks sold nationwide at a large U.S. coffee chain. The documents give no indication of the likely outcome; Starbucks has said it believes the claims have no merit and that it intends to defend itself.
Key facts
- A consumer lawsuit alleges that eight Starbucks protein beverages sold in the U.S. contain varying amounts of sugar even though the company lists them as sugarless. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- The federal lawsuit was filed late Friday in Seattle, according to the Associated Press, The Seattle Times and The Boston Globe. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- NBC News reported the drinks contain 13 to 21 grams of sugar per serving, and that the products include hot and iced protein lattes and protein matcha drinks in vanilla and caramel flavors. [ 5 ]
- Starbucks’ U.S. website listed a 16-ounce Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Matcha with 16 grams of sugar and a 20-ounce version with 21 grams, compared with 11 grams in one Reese’s peanut butter cup. [ 3 , 4 , 7 ]
- The law firm Hagens Berman filed the suit on behalf of three consumers who bought the drinks in California, New York and Washington. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- The plaintiffs contend the naming and marketing of the drinks is “false, deceptive and unlawful” and that Starbucks violated federal labeling regulations. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Starbucks said the sugar comes from the protein-boosted milk it uses, that it does not add sugar and that it uses sugar-free syrup for flavoring. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- A Starbucks spokesperson said the company believes the claims have no merit; NBC News reported the company said it intends to “vigorously defend ourselves in this matter.” [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A consumer lawsuit was filed against Starbucks over claims that its protein drinks labeled “sugar-free” contain sugar. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Seattle, late on Friday. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- The suit alleges that eight Starbucks protein beverages sold in the U.S. contain varying amounts of sugar while the company lists them as sugarless. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Hagens Berman filed the suit on behalf of three consumers who bought the drinks in California, New York and Washington. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Starbucks said the sugar in the drinks comes from the protein-boosted milk it uses, that it does not add sugar and that it uses sugar-free syrup for flavoring. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Starbucks said it believes the claims have no merit. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- The case number, the court schedule and the amount of damages sought. No document states these details; NBC News says only that the lawsuit seeks damages on behalf of U.S. consumers who bought the drinks.
- The identity of the three plaintiffs who bought the drinks. The documents say only that they bought the drinks in California, New York and Washington.
- Whether the drinks are in fact mislabeled. The plaintiffs allege the labeling is false and deceptive; Starbucks says the claims have no merit and that it does not add sugar. No ruling is reported.
- The outcome of the lawsuit and whether Starbucks will change how the drinks are labeled or marketed. No settlement, ruling or labeling change is reported in the documents.
- Whether consumers understood the “sugar-free” label to mean the drinks contained no sugar at all. The documents give the plaintiffs’ contention that “no reasonable person” would expect that much sugar in a sugar-free product, but no data beyond that filing claim.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Reuters reports that Starbucks is being sued over “sugar-free” claims for its protein beverages. [ 1 ]
- Reuters publishes a Spanish-language report on the same lawsuit. [ 2 ]
- The Associated Press reports the lawsuit, including the sugar figures listed on Starbucks’ U.S. website and the company’s response. [ 3 ]
- The Seattle Times reports the lawsuit with the same details. [ 4 ]
- The next day, NBC News reports the drinks contain 13 to 21 grams of sugar per serving and that Starbucks said it intends to vigorously defend itself. [ 5 ]
- ABC News reports on the lawsuit and notes Starbucks introduced protein drinks in September 2025. [ 6 ]
- The Boston Globe publishes its report on the lawsuit. [ 7 ]