Customers buying ‘sugar-free’ protein drinks from Starbucks may be getting far more sugar than they bargained for.
A lawsuit filed in a Seattle federal court on Friday claims that the chain’s eight sugar-free protein beverages contain more sugar than a Reese’s peanut butter cup.
In the claim, law firm Hagens Berman cites the chain’s own website, which lists between 13 and 21 grams of sugar in each protein drink, even though they are marked ‘sugar-free.’
These include its Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Matcha, which the website listed as containing 16 grams of sugar in a 16-ounce grande serving and 21 grams in its 20-ounce venti serving.
For comparison, a single Reese’s peanut butter cup contains 11 grams of sugar while two contain 22 grams. An original glazed Krispy Kreme donut contains 10 grams.
Starbucks has said that the sugar in its protein drinks comes from the protein-boosted milk it uses for the drinks. A spokesman added that the chain does not add sugar to the drinks and uses a sugar-free syrup for flavoring.
A spokesman said Monday: ‘We believe these claims have no merit.
‘Starbucks has consistently and clearly provided information about its protein beverages, sugar-free options, customization choices and nutritional content across product announcements, menus, marketing materials, Starbucks.com and the Starbucks app, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this matter.’
Starbucks has been accused of ‘false advertising’ over its ‘sugar free’ protein drinks
Customers have slammed the chain over the sugar in its ‘sugar-free’ drinks, accusing it of ‘false advertising’ and demanding compensation.
The lawsuit named four warm protein drinks: Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte, Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Latte, Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Matcha and Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Matcha.
The lawsuit also named four iced protein drinks: Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte, Iced Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Latte, Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Matcha and Iced Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Matcha.
On its website today, Starbucks still lists sugar content under the nutritional information for each of the eight protein drinks.
Hagens Berman filed the suit on behalf of three individuals who bought Starbucks’ ‘sugar-free’ protein drinks in California, New York and Washington.
Steve Berman, co-partner and managing partner of the Seattle-based firm, said: ‘Consumers avoid sugar for various reasons, whether that be general health, diabetes and blood glucose levels or other factors, and for many, a staunch mislabeling like this is significant.’
In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs allege that the chain’s naming and marketing of ‘sugar-free’ products is ‘false, deceptive and unlawful’ and that the company has violated federal labeling regulations.
It seeks unspecified damages on behalf of US customers who bought the drinks. It also aims to order Starbucks to stop using the ‘sugar-free’ label on products that contain sugar.
Shown above are two of the protein drinks that are part of the lawsuit. These are the Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte (left) and Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Matcha
In a press release, the law firm also said that the amount of sugar in the ‘sugar-free’ beverages was nearly as much as the 25 grams recommended per day for women by the American Heart Association.
It was also nearly two-thirds of the 36 grams of sugar per day recommended for men by the association.
Under federal law, the label ‘sugar-free’ can only be used on beverages that contain no more than 0.5 grams of sugar per reference amount.
According to the lawsuit, the FDA imposed this specific labeling requirement because consumers regard ‘sugar free’ to indicate ‘a product which is low in calories or significantly reduced in calories.’
One customer wrote on X: ‘How can a sugar free latte [from Starbucks] have 19 grams of sugar??? False advertisement!!!’
Another said on Facebook: ‘I was a victim of Starbucks this year when I was on my keto diet and opted for the sugar-free drink and thought it was too sweet to be that.
‘I discovered after a rude awakening and quick Google search that the sugar-free drink was completely false and fraudulently [advertised a] claim.’
The online commenter added: ‘I feel like I’m definitely owed compenation [sic]. I hope they pay up and make their menus more transparent and stop committing false advertising.’
Starbucks launched its protein drinks in September 2025 to meet consumer demand for protein-enhanced products and to compete with rivals such as Dutch Bros, which launched protein drinks in 2024.
