LÄRABAR The Original Fruit and Nut Food Bar

In October 2018, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Small Planet Foods for allegedly deceptively marketing LÄRABAR Original Fruit and Nut Bars as being healthy by identifying the whole fruits in the bars, as well as the small number of ingredients, when, according to the complaint, the bars contain processed fruit and undisclosed ingredients, including preservatives. Plaintiffs also claim that the marketing implies that the sugar content in the bars is low when, according to plaintiffs, the bars contain a high amount of sugar, which increases the risk of chronic disease. In addition, the complaint alleges that dates – which are listed as the primary ingredient in many of the bars – are high in sugar, usually identified as a confection (or an ingredient that provides sweetness), and not a “recognizable form” of fruit. (Evans et al v. Small Planet Foods, Inc., Case No. 18-cv-6009, E. D. NY.)