Major Energy-Drink Brands Have Faced Years of Health Scares, False-Advertising Lawsuits and Multimillion-Dollar Settlements

A new Chowhound roundup published Wednesday revisits nearly a decade of controversies that have dogged major energy-drink brands, from a $13 million false-advertising settlement by Red Bull to Panera Bread's decision last year to pull its highly caffeinated Charged Lemonade after multiple lawsuits alleged the drinks caused fatal cardiac arrests.

The Details

The Chowhound article traces at least eight distinct episodes of litigation, regulatory scrutiny and marketing disputes involving some of the best-known names in the sector. Red Bull agreed in 2014 to pay up to $13 million to settle a U.S. class action that alleged its advertising misled consumers into believing the drink delivered superior performance and energy benefits, according to CBC News. The complaint, quoted by CBC, accused the company of using 'prodigious advertising marketing and promotional spending' to mislead customers into believing Red Bull 'has the ability to give you wings and provide energy and vitality.'

Monster Beverage Corp. faced a different kind of scrutiny in 2012. Reuters reported at the time that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was investigating adverse-event reports, including five deaths potentially associated with Monster Energy. The same Reuters report detailed a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of 14-year-old Anais Fournier, who died after consuming two 24-ounce Monster drinks over two days.

A decade later, Monster found itself on the other side of a courtroom. A California jury awarded Monster $293 million in September 2022 after finding rival Bang Energy had falsely advertised its 'Super Creatine' ingredient and related health benefits, Reuters reported. Moez Kaba, Monster's lead trial lawyer, told Reuters after the verdict that 'Bang achieved its wild success based on widespread deception.'

Panera Bread broadened the conversation beyond canned beverages. USA TODAY reported in May 2024 that Panera removed Charged Lemonade from its menu after multiple lawsuits alleged the highly caffeinated drinks caused two fatal cardiac arrests and left another consumer with long-term heart problems. The episode drew attention to caffeine disclosure, self-serve placement and consumer expectations in restaurant settings.

Celsius Holdings also settled a labeling dispute. USA TODAY reported in February 2023 that Celsius agreed to a $7.8 million settlement in a class action alleging drinks labeled 'no preservatives' still contained citric acid. Celsius denied wrongdoing and said citric acid was used as a flavoring agent, according to the same USA TODAY report.

Context

The Chowhound piece frames these controversies as part of a broader debate over whether energy drinks are safe in moderation, particularly because some products contain caffeine loads that approach or exceed several cups of coffee. The roundup arrives as health advocates and some regulators have long raised questions about how energy-drink companies market highly caffeinated products to younger consumers and whether labeling accurately reflects ingredients and potency.

The legal record spans both consumer-protection litigation and brand-versus-brand commercial disputes. Red Bull and Celsius faced class actions from consumers who claimed labeling or advertising was misleading; Monster was both a defendant in wrongful-death litigation and a plaintiff in a false-adverticing verdict against a competitor. Panera's Charged Lemonade controversy extended the energy-drink debate into the fast-casual restaurant sector, where self-serve dispensers and limited ingredient disclosure created a different set of consumer expectations.

The Chowhound article also notes pending controversies around Prime, including lawsuits over alleged PFAS in grape-flavored hydration drinks and claims that Prime Energy contained more caffeine than labeled. Those matters remain pending allegations and have not been resolved.

What's Next

The Chowhound roundup does not point to any new regulatory action or consolidated litigation on the horizon. The Prime lawsuits mentioned in the article are still pending, according to the same source. Panera has already removed Charged Lemonade from its menu, and the Celsius and Red Bull settlements are closed. Monster's $293 million verdict against Bang was decided in 2022; the status of any appeal was not detailed in the brief.