On January 14, 2009 a class action law suit was filed in the United States District Court in the Northern District of California against Coca-Cola concerning its VitaminWater products.  The suit claims that VitaminWater is a fraudulent product which is promoting obesity.  The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) claims that the marketing on the VitaminWater line of beverages are deceptive and unsubstantiated.  According to the CSPI, “Coke markets VitaminWater as a healthful alternative to soda by labeling its several flavors with such health buzz words as “defense,” “rescue,” “energy,” and “endurance.” The company makes a wide range of dramatic claims, including that its drinks variously reduce the risk of chronic disease, reduce the risk of eye disease, promote healthy joints, and support optimal immune function.”

The reality of VitaminWater is that there are 33 grams of sugar and between zero and one percent juice in each bottle of the beverage.  The CSPI claims that the VitaminWater line of beverages “do more to promote obesity, diabetes, and other health problems than the vitamins in the drinks do to perform the advertised benefits listed on the bottles.”

The plaintiff, San Francisco, California, resident James Koh, who used to purchase and drink VitaminWater after working out at the gym stated that,

When I bought VitaminWater, frankly I thought I was doing myself a favor health-wise.  I was attracted by the prospect of getting extra vitamins. But I had no idea that I was actually getting almost a Coke’s worth of sugar and calories. There’s no way I would have spent money on that, had I known.

This suit among other things promotes the advice of doctors and nutritionists which is to get your vitamins and minerals from real foods and not from some gimmicky product.

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