Sad news for my fellow Poppi heads: The company behind the viral prebiotic soda alternative is facing a class-action consumer-fraud lawsuit alleging that it misrepresents the beverage’s gut-health benefits. Pour one out for my beloved Raspberry Rose.
Launched in 2020, Poppi combines fruit juice, apple-cider vinegar, and inulin prebiotics — dietary fibers that help beneficial bacteria grow in your bowels, per Healthline. The brand advertises its soda alternative as “gut healthy” and counts celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Post Malone among its legions of fans. The lawsuit, which was filed in a California district court by plaintiff Kristin Cobbs on behalf of herself and “similarly situated” Poppi consumers, states that the company concealed and misrepresented the “true nature” of its products, which may not be so gut healthy after all. Poppi contains two grams of prebiotics per can, which, according to the suit, is too negligible an amount to reap any real benefit. (Poppi’s competitor Olipop, meanwhile, contains nine grams of prebiotic fiber per can.) The suit claims that a consumer would have to down four cans of Poppi for positive gut effects, which would then be offset by the drink’s high sugar content. One nutritionist quoted in the suit calls Poppi “basically sugared water.” The suit further alleges Poppi doesn’t warn consumers about the health risks of its brand of prebiotic, the dietary fiber agave inulin. According to Stanford Medicine, excess inulin can cause liver damage and digestive issues, including bloating, cramps, and diarrhea.
In her suit, Cobbs says the drinks didn’t do much for her gut health and that she was unaware that consuming multiple cans could have negative side effects. Had she known, she says, she would not have purchased the Poppi beverages or “would have paid substantially less for them.” (On the Poppi site, a 12-pack is nearly $30). As an IBS girl, I’m sorry to see it. Diet Coke, anyone?
The Cut has reached out to Poppi for comment. We will update this post when we hear back.
