Kashi False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit

By Sarah Pierce

UPDATE: Kashi False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit survives in court after judge denies Kashi's request for dismissal.

Are Kashi's "All Natural" products really all they're cracked up to be? Not according to a federal class action lawsuit, which claims Kashi Co. and Kellogg Company mislabeled their products as free of artificial ingredients, even though they knew that some of their GoLean and TLC products are "composed almost entirely of synthetic and unnaturally processed ingredients." Some of these synthetic ingredients are even listed by the FDA as prescription drugs and federally declared hazardous substances, the Kashi class action lawsuit alleges.

Kellogg has already settled at least two false advertising class action lawsuits concerning the nutritional claims of its Rice Krispies Cereal (file a claim to receive up to $15 from the Rice Krispies settlement here) and its Frosted Mini Wheats.

According to the Kashi class action lawsuit, "Defendants inserted a spectacular array of unnaturally processed and synthetic ingredients to its so-called 'all-natural' products. For example, Kashi's so-called 'All Natural' GoLean Shakes are composed almost entirely of synthetic and unnaturally processed ingredients."

In fact, the Kashi class action continues, in many of Kashi's products, "unnaturally processed and synthetic ingredients constitute the primary ingredients in these fraudulently-labeled 'all-natural' foods."

Some of these "shocking" ingredients include synthetic substances listed as prescription drugs, irradiated substances, pesticides that are a by-product of uranium mining, and federally declared hazardous substances, the class action lawsuit states. Kashi also adds several ingredients that the FDA has declined to declare as a "safe" food additive, and several highly processed exitotoxins to its products that are hidden sources of MSG.

The Kashi class action lawsuit is brought on behalf of a proposed class of all U.S. consumers who purchased falsely labeled Kashi products in the U.S. It is seeking restitution and restoration of any money Class Members paid for these products, damages and penalties for Class Members, and other relief.

A copy of the Kellogg & Kashi False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit can be read here. 

The case is Michael Bates v. Kashi Company, Kellogg Company, et al., Case No. 11-cv-1967, U.S. District Court, Southern District of California.