Splenda Products Not Suitable for Diabetics as Advertised, Class Action Claims [UPDATE]

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A proposed class action alleges certain Splenda sweeteners and drinks are not as helpful at managing diabetes as advertised since their main ingredient, a sugar alternative, has been shown to “cause and worsen” Type 2 diabetes, among other ill effects. 

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The 57-page case says that although the labels of a number of Splenda shakes and sweeteners tout the products as “recommended” by doctors and dieticians and meant specifically for “diabetes care,” among other claims, the items are nevertheless made with sucralose, making them “neither healthy nor suitable for these purposes.” 

Crucially, the suit stresses, sucralose is harmful to pancreatic beta cells, which promote insulin resistance, and can destabilize glucose absorption, cause weight gain and hurt the gut microbiome. The lawsuit contends that the Splenda products “can be harmful to everyone,” particularly those with diabetes, and that reasonable consumers have been misled into thinking the items are healthy and useful in managing blood sugar and diabetes. 

“In all cases, consumers are harmed by paying a premium for the health claims touted by [defendant TC Heartland, LLC] that are untrue,” the complaint claims.

The Splenda products mentioned in the lawsuit include Splenda “Diabetes Care” shakes, Splenda Zero Calorie Sweetener packets, Splenda Granulated Zero Calorie Sweetener, Splenda Zero Calorie Sweetener Minis, Splenda Liquid Sweetener Zero, Splenda Water Enhancers, Splenda Premium Sweet Tea and Splenda Multi-Use Syrup, all of which are touted as “suitable for people with diabetes” or marketed for “Diabetes Care.” 

According to the suit, reasonable consumers understand the health claims on Splenda labels to mean that the products contain a healthy sugar alternative and are suitable for, or can aid in, the management of blood sugar levels and diabetes generally. The lawsuit emphasizes that millions of diabetics and prediabetics in the United States depend on truthful product labels to make informed choices to manage their disease and live a healthier life. 

The case charges that TC Heartland, rather than truthfully label the Splenda shakes and sweeteners, has chosen instead to “prey on [diabetics] for profit while knowingly ignoring the science on sucralose,” conduct the suit calls “unconscionable” and illegal. 

Further, the filing alleges the “deliberateness” of the defendant’s apparently false labeling is evidenced on the familiar yellow packets of Splenda, which are found in restaurants nationwide. Highlighted in red font on Splenda packets is the claim that the product is “suitable for people with diabetes,” even though sucralose has been shown to “induce and worsen obesity, metabolic syndrome, and Type 2 diabetes” by interfering with the body’s control of glucose and energy balance, the lawsuit shares.

The lawsuit looks to cover all United States residents who, in the last four years, bought any of the Splenda products listed on this page for purposes other than resale. 

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