Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether certain Monin Sugar Free flavored syrups may be misleadingly marketed as sugar free despite containing allulose as a principal ingredient.
The investigation includes Monin’s Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup and potentially other products in Monin’s Sugar Free syrup line that use allulose.
Monin currently markets its Chocolate product as “Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup” and states that it provides chocolate flavor “without the sugar content.” Yet the ingredient list identifies water followed immediately by allulose, making allulose the second listed ingredient. The product’s nutrition information reports 0 grams of total sugar and 0 grams of added sugar.
Monin also sells a broad line of products prominently marketed as Sugar Free, including numerous fruit, dessert, and coffee syrup flavors.
Why Consumers May Be Concerned
A consumer ordering or purchasing a “Sugar Free” syrup may reasonably understand that representation to mean that the syrup does not contain sugar.
Allulose, however, is a monosaccharide and is used as a sweetener. The fact that it appears immediately after water in the Chocolate Syrup ingredient list suggests that it is not merely present in a trace amount.
Migliaccio & Rathod is investigating whether consumers were adequately informed about the use of allulose and whether Monin’s Sugar Free representations accurately communicate the nature of products containing substantial amounts of the ingredient.
Consumers May Have Encountered:
- bottles prominently labeled “Sugar Free”;
- product descriptions promising flavor without sugar;
- purchasing Monin specifically because of the Sugar Free representation;
- later discovering allulose near the top of the ingredient list;
- seeing 0 grams of total sugar and added sugar on the Nutrition Facts panel; and
- not understanding that allulose is itself classified as a type of sugar.
This may be particularly relevant to consumers who deliberately selected Monin’s Sugar Free line instead of conventional syrups because they wanted to avoid sugar.
Potential Claims May Include:
- false or misleading advertising;
- deceptive trade practices;
- misleading Sugar Free nutrient-content representations;
- breach of express warranty;
- unjust enrichment; and
- damages associated with paying a price premium.
Signs You May Be Affected:
- You purchased Monin Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup or another Monin Sugar Free syrup containing allulose;
- the “Sugar Free” representation influenced your decision;
- you purchased the product because you wanted to avoid sugar;
- you did not know allulose was a type of sugar;
- allulose appears prominently in the ingredient list on your bottle; or
- you still have the bottle, receipt, order confirmation, or photographs of the label.
If you purchased a Monin Sugar Free syrup containing allulose because of its sugar-free labeling, we would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call.