Gatorade Sued Over Claim It "Hydrates Better Than Water"

Gatorade is being sued over a claim printed right on the bottle: that the sports drink "hydrates better than water."

A class action lawsuit filed May 21 in New York federal court alleges PepsiCo, Gatorade's parent company, misleads shoppers with that line — plus labels on its reduced-sugar drinks claiming "no artificial flavors, sweeteners or colors from artificial sources."

According to the complaint, the science doesn't back up "hydrates better than water." The lawsuit cites medical experts who say plain water is usually the better call for everyday or low-intensity activity, and that Gatorade's sugar and sodium can actually work against you if you're not sweating it out. The suit says PepsiCo doubled down in an April promotion, claiming some Gatorade products "hydrate better, faster or longer than water."

Then there's the "no artificial ingredients" part. The plaintiffs point to citric acid in the drinks. It sounds natural — it's literally the stuff in lemons — but the lawsuit alleges the version used in most food isn't squeezed from fruit at all. Roughly 99% of it is mass-produced industrially, often using a type of mold. The complaint argues that makes the "no artificial ingredients" label allegedly misleading.

The plaintiffs say they relied on those labels and paid more than they otherwise would have. The case is led by plaintiff John Leam and represented by Yagman PLLC, and it's asking for damages plus a court order forcing Gatorade to change how it advertises.

There's no settlement yet — this lawsuit was just filed. But these cases can take time, and if it ends in a payout, you'll want a heads up.

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