GNC Total Lean Protein Bars Not as Lean as Advertised, Class Action Says

New to ClassAction.org? Read our Newswire Disclaimer

A proposed class action lawsuit accuses health and fitness products company GNC of falsely advertising its Total Lean protein bars as “lean.”

Want to stay in the loop on class actions that matter to you? Sign up for ClassAction.org’s free weekly newsletter here.

The 19-page lawsuit says that despite the products’ name, GNC’s Lean Bars do not contain any less fat than typical full-fat protein products and do not qualify as “lean” as defined by federal standards.

According to food labeling regulations, products can be labeled as “lean” if they contain no more than 10 grams of fat or 4.5 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams, and as the suit argues, some of GNC’s Lean Bars more than doubled the approved amount of fat.

However, the products’ lean claims—which are prominently displayed on the front of every package—lead reasonable consumers to believe that the protein bars contain a low amount of fat, the case says.

As the complaint tells it, GNC knew its protein bars were not lean but advertised them as such because “[it] did not believe [its] customers would know the difference.”

The plaintiffs, both New York residents, bought GNC Total Lean Lean Bars in the strawberry yogurt flavor in October 2022 under the assumption that the bars contained a low amount of fat, the filing states. At the time of their respective purchases, the plaintiffs did not realize that the nutrition facts on the protein bars told another story—that they contained 12 grams of fat per 100 grams, two grams over the approved limit, the case relays.

The complaint alleges that the following products were misrepresented as lean by GNC:

• GNC Total Lean Layered Lean Bar: Whipped Chocolate Mousse;
• GNC Total Lean Layered Lean Bar: Peanut Butter Pie;
• GNC Total Lean Layered Lean Bar: Girl Scout Coconut Caramel;
• GNC Total Lean Layered Lean Bar: Girl Scout Lemon;
• GNC Total Lean Layered Lean Bar: Girl Scout Thin Mints;
• GNC Total Lean Lean Bar: Chocolate Peanut Butter;
• GNC Total Lean Lean Bar: Blueberry Yogurt;
• GNC Total Lean Lean Bar: Chocolate Chip;
• GNC Total Lean Lean Bar: Lemon Meringue;
• GNC Total Lean Lean Bar: White Chocolate Crunch;
• GNC Total Lean Lean Bar: Vanilla Birthday Cake;
• GNC Total Lean Lean Bar: Strawberry Yogurt; and
• GNC Total Lean Lean Bar: Fruity Crisp.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone in the United States who purchased any GNC Total Lean product that falsely advertised its purported fat content during the applicable statute of limitations.

Get class action lawsuit news sent to your inbox – sign up for ClassAction.org’s free weekly newsletter here.