Starbucks faces lawsuit over sugar free protein drinks containing added sugar

Starbucks is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit over protein beverages marketed as sugar-free that allegedly contain significant amounts of sugar. The New York Post reported on October 7, 2026, that the coffee chain advertises these items as sugar-free while nutrition labels show otherwise. [1]

According to the New York Post, Starbucks listed eight protein lattes and matcha drinks as sugar-free on its website as of October 7. However, the nutrition information for a 16-ounce sugar-free caramel protein matcha lists 16 grams of sugar. A 20-ounce sugar-free vanilla protein latte also contains 16 grams of sugar, with other covered drinks allegedly containing between 13 and 21 grams of sugar. [1]

Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker founded the company in 1971 at Pike Place Market as a coffee bean wholesaler. Howard Schultz later bought the company and converted it into a coffee shop serving espresso-based drinks. [2]

The company completed an initial public offering in 1992 and expanded globally to establish coffeehouses as communal spaces. In recent years, Starbucks has faced operational challenges, leadership transitions, and unionization drives at hundreds of its United States locations. [3]