A lawsuit has been filed against popular soda brand Poppi by a consumer who claims that the products do not improve gut health as much as the marketing suggests. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco by Kristin Cobbs, alleges that despite Poppi’s labels claiming to be prebiotic sodas that promote gut health, the actual content of prebiotic agave inulin fiber in the drinks is too low to provide any significant benefits.
Cobbs points to research that shows that consuming 7.5 grams of agave inulin daily for three weeks is necessary to see meaningful prebiotic benefits. Given that Poppi drinks only contain around 2 grams of this fiber, she argues that any potential benefits would be outweighed by increased sugar consumption if consumers were to drink more of the sodas.
In response to the lawsuit, Poppi released a statement affirming its belief in the quality of its products and its mission to revolutionize soda for the next generation of soda drinkers. The company plans to vigorously defend itself against the allegations made in the lawsuit.
Poppi is one of many brands within the burgeoning category of functional beverages, which claim to offer health and wellness benefits. Sales of prebiotic and probiotic drinks in the U.S. more than tripled in the past year, indicating a growing interest in these types of products.
