• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
RetailPepsiCo

Quaker Oats Faces Lawsuit Over 100% Natural Claims

By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 2, 2016, 9:32 AM ET
Grand Opening At A New Wal-Mart Store
General Mills Inc. Quaker Oats oatmeal is displayed for sale during the grand opening of a new Wal-Mart Stores Inc. location in Torrance, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. The Wal-Mart store, which was the first location to open in Los Angeles County since 2006, was built inside of a former Mervyn's clothing location. Photographer: Patrick Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesBloomberg Bloomberg via Getty Images

PepsiCo’s Quaker Oats is facing a potential class-action lawsuit that alleges the food brand’s claims it is “100% Natural” are deceptive.

The lawsuit specifically alleges that Quaker Oats claims its oats are grown using “eco-friendly” methods but that the brand contains the chemical glyphosate, which is purportedly sprayed on the oats as a drying agent shortly before harvest. Glyphosate notably generated headlines last year after the World Health Organization declared the chemical “probably” causes cancer in people.

While the lawsuit, which was filed in Federal District Courts in California and New York, concedes there is nothing unlawful about Quaker Oats’ growing and processing methods, it contends the brand’s products are not “Natural,” “100% Natural,” or “100% Natural Whole Grain” as labeled and marketed.

Specifically, the complaint–which is seeking class action status–calls out three products: Quaker Oats Old-Fashioned, Quaker Oats Quick 1-Minute, and Quaker Steel Cut Oats Sweet Almond Mint.

PepsiCo (PEP), meanwhile, says it stands by the safety and quality of Quaker Oats’ products, adding “producing health, wholesome food is Quaker’s number one priority and we’ve been doing that for nearly 140 years.”

“Quaker does not add glyphosate during any part of the milling process,” PepsiCo said in a statement to Fortune. “Glyphosate is commonly used by farmers across the industry who apply it pre-harvest.”

The food and beverage giant says that while it thoroughly cleanses the oats it uses after delivery from farms, any trace amounts of glyphosate that may remain are “significantly below any limits which have been set by the Environmental Protection Agency as safe for human consumption.”

The lawsuit is seeking an order to change PepsiCo’s advertising practices, as well as a recall of Quaker Oats products, restitution and other damages.

PepsiCo isn’t alone in facing a legal challenge related to the claims it makes for its products. As Fortune has previously reported, a number of brands, including Honest Co., Blue Diamond, and Welch’s Fruit Snacks, have also faced recent litigation.

About the Author
By John KellContributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence

John Kell is a contributing writer for Fortune and author of Fortune’s CIO Intelligence newsletter.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Retail

Big TechSpotify
Spotify users lamented Wrapped in 2024. This year, the company brought back an old favorite and made it less about AI
By Dave Lozo and Morning BrewDecember 4, 2025
3 hours ago
Bear
RetailTariffs and trade
Build-A-Bear stock falls 15% as it reveals the real hit from tariffs, at last
By Michelle Chapman and The Associated PressDecember 4, 2025
3 hours ago
The outside of a Dollar General store, at night
Retaildollar stores
Rich people are flooding dollar stores as Americans navigate a crushing affordability crisis
By Dave SmithDecember 4, 2025
5 hours ago
Kris Mayes
LawArizona
Arizona becomes latest state to sue Temu over claims that its stealing customer data
By Sejal Govindarao and The Associated PressDecember 3, 2025
1 day ago
Tony Cuccio posing in a chair
C-SuiteMillionaires
Tony Cuccio started with $200 selling beauty products on Venice Beach. Then he brought gel nails to the masses—and forged a $2 billion empire
By Dave SmithDecember 3, 2025
1 day ago
CybersecuritySmall Business
Main Street’s make-or-break upgrade: Why small businesses are racing to modernize their tech
By Ashley LutzDecember 3, 2025
1 day ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Two months into the new fiscal year and the U.S. government is already spending more than $10 billion a week servicing national debt
By Eleanor PringleDecember 4, 2025
12 hours ago
placeholder alt text
North America
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos commit $102.5 million to organizations combating homelessness across the U.S.: ‘This is just the beginning’
By Sydney LakeDecember 2, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
‘Godfather of AI’ says Bill Gates and Elon Musk are right about the future of work—but he predicts mass unemployment is on its way
By Preston ForeDecember 4, 2025
8 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Ford workers told their CEO 'none of the young people want to work here.' So Jim Farley took a page out of the founder's playbook
By Sasha RogelbergNovember 28, 2025
6 days ago
placeholder alt text
Health
Bill Gates decries ‘significant reversal in child deaths’ as nearly 5 million kids will die before they turn 5 this year
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 4, 2025
19 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Tariffs and the $38 trillion national debt: Kevin Hassett sees ’big reductions’ in deficit while Scott Bessent sees a ‘shrinking ice cube’
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 4, 2025
7 hours ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.