GNC Zero Impact Meal Bar

In November 2013, a federal judge dismissed a class-action lawsuit filed against GNC and Vital Pharmaceuticals. The complaint, which was removed to federal court in October 2012, alleges that the companies misleadingly label the ZERO IMPACT High Protein Meal Bars as having “zero impact” when, in reality, the companies knew that each bar contains a significant amount of calories, fat, and carbohydrates, including sugars, and therefore will have a real impact on consumers’ carb, sugar, and caloric intake. The Court dismissed the complaint finding that it does not have the expertise, without guidance from the FDA, to determine whether the phrase “zero impact” on a food label is misleading. (Watkins et al v. Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and General Nutrition Centers, Inc., Case No. 12-cv-09374, C. D. CA.).