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Costco class action targets allulose in Kirkland sugar-free drink mix. By Top Class Actions | October 15, 2026. Costco class action lawsuit overview: * Who: Plaintiff Mason Maldonado filed a class action lawsuit against Costco Wholesale Corp. * Why: The plaintiff claims Costco is "health-washing" its Kirkland Signature electrolyte drink mix by labeling it sugar-free despite containing allulose. * Where: The Costco class action lawsuit was filed in Washington federal court. AA new class action lawsuit accuses Costco of "health-washing" its Kirkland Signature Hydration Electrolyte Drink Mix by labeling it sugar-free despite containing allulose. Plaintiff Mason Maldonado filed the class action lawsuit on Sept. 30, alleging allulose is a simple sugar. Maldonado also describes "health-washing" as making a product appear healthier than it is. According to the lawsuit, federal rules allow a sugar-free claim only when a food contains less than 0.5 grams of sugars per serving. It alleges the label on the Kirkland sugar-free products does not state how much allulose each stick contains. Maldonado argues that, on information and belief, each product exceeds the limit because allulose is the first ingredient and each stick declares 7 grams of total carbohydrate. "The average consumer who noticed allulose on the ingredient list would be led to believe it was not a sugar, based on the defendant's repeated 'SUGAR-FREE' representations," the Costco class action lawsuit says. Maldonado claims a nutrition panel declaring zero grams of total sugars reinforces that belief and an asterisk describing allulose as a dietarily insignificant amount of sugar does not fix the front label issue. The plaintiff wants to represent a nationwide class and Illinois subclass of consumers who purchased the sugar-free products for personal use during the maximum period permitted by law. The class action lawsuit claims Costco violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and the Washington Consumer Protection Act and was unjustly enriched. Dunkin', CVS face similar claims over zero-sugar, sugar-free drinks. Two other allulose class action lawsuits, filed within a day of the Costco case, cite the same limit threshold violations. Plaintiff Phyllis Wells alleges Dunkin' Zero drinks advertised as containing "0g of sugar" hold approximately 9 grams of allulose per serving, more than 16 times the threshold, in a lawsuit filed in Massachusetts federal court. Meanwhile, plaintiff Sue Colby alleges CVS labels its Well Market Replenish drink mix "zero sugar," although allulose is its first-listed inactive ingredient. She argues allulose falls within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's definition of total sugars and must be counted toward the 0.5-gram limit. Colby adds that the supplement panel declares zero grams of total sugars and that shoppers should not be expected to research the chemistry of ingredients. All three plaintiffs demand jury trials and seek class certification, damages, restitution and attorneys' fees. Maldonado also demands Costco stops selling its sugar-free products with their current labeling. Trader Joe's, Welch's, David protein bars, Chobani yogurt and Goli gummies are all facing class action lawsuits filed in California, Illinois, Florida and New York, targeting similar sugar-free claims. Have you ever purchased any of the sugar-free products in these class action lawsuits? Let us know in the comments. Maldonado is represented by M. Anderson Berry, Gregory Haroutunian and Brook Garberding of Emery Reddy P.C. and Kevin Laukaitis and Maria Cristina Torres Short of Laukaitis Law LLC. Wells is represented by Matthew D. Patton of Patton Legal P.C., Raina C. Borrelli and Samuel J. Strauss of Strauss Borrelli PLLC and Brian Levin of Levin Law P.A. Colby is represented by Peter N. Wasylyk of Law Offices of Peter N. Wasylyk and Kevin Laukaitis of Laukaitis Law LLC. The Costco class action lawsuit is Maldonado v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, Case No. 2:26-cv-03702, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The Dunkin' class action lawsuit is Wells v. Dunkin' Brands Inc., et al., Case No. 1:26-cv-14463, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The CVS class action lawsuit is Colby v. CVS Health Corporation, et al., Case No. 1:26-cv-00717, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. Don't miss out! Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements: "*" indicates required fields October 14, 2026 | Legal News October 13, 2026 | Legal News 2 thoughts onCostco class action targets allulose in Kirkland sugar-free drink mix. * Connie Metts-Page says: October 16, 2026 at 12:12 am Add me Reply * Shawanda James says: October 15, 2026 at 6:07 pm Add me please Reply Your email address will not be published. By submitting your comment and contact information, you agree to receive marketing emails from Top Class Actions regarding this and/or similar lawsuits or settlements, and/or to be contacted by an attorney or law firm to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you if you qualify. Required fields are marked *

Sound Credit Union employees assemble more than 3,300 meal kits for Emergency Food Network. Oct 14, 2026, 11:00 ET TACOMA, Wash., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Sound Credit Union (Sound) recently hosted its annual Afternoon of Service, bringing employees together to support a local nonprofit organization. This year, the credit union partnered with Emergency Food Network (EFN) in Lakewood to help provide meals for individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. More than 450 Sound employees from across Washington gathered in Tacoma to assemble 3,312 Bowls of Hope meal kits. Each kit contained the ingredients needed to prepare chicken tortilla soup, providing a warm and nutritious meal for individuals and families in need. Through EFN's partnership with Costco, Sound was able to purchase ingredients in bulk, stretching its philanthropic dollars further and increasing the overall community impact. "Our Afternoon of Service is one of the events our team members look forward to most each year," said Jennifer Reed, Vice President of Public Relations at Sound Credit Union. "It demonstrates that our partnerships with nonprofit organizations extend far beyond sponsorships. We see the challenges many families face as the cost of groceries, housing and other necessities continue to rise. Bringing our employees together to help provide a warm meal for someone experiencing food insecurity fills us with pride and reinforces our commitment to the communities we serve." Sound's community giving strategy focuses on four key areas: financial education, affordable housing, food insecurity and supporting the greater good of the communities it serves. As grocery costs continue to impact families throughout Washington, partnering with Emergency Food Network was a natural fit. "Hunger impacts so many of our neighbors in Pierce County. Visits to our partners are growing each month as families are facing rising costs of food, healthcare, and gas," said Lianna Olds, Emergency Food Network's Deputy Director. "But hunger is also a tangible problem that all of us can address. Events like the Afternoon of Service are a testament to the impact we can have on our community when we work together and care for our neighbors." The Afternoon of Service at Sound demonstrates the power of collective action. By bringing employees together around a shared purpose, Sound continues to invest in the well-being of the communities it serves and create meaningful impact beyond financial services. About Sound Credit Union Sound Credit Union was founded in 1940 and today is one of Washington State's largest credit unions. With 26 full-service branch locations throughout the Puget Sound area, Sound provides their over 186,000 members with authentic and trusted financial support and services. Sound is driven by the purpose of standing with members, employees and the community through all waves of life. About Emergency Food Network Emergency Food Network (EFN) is Pierce County's emergency food distributor, partnering with more than 75 food pantries, meal sites, and shelters in the region. EFN's network is currently serving more than 350,000 visits each month. EFN's goal is to distribute 20 million pounds of food in 2026. SOURCE Sound Credit Union

Costco adds exclusive limited-time candy treat. As a fan of peppermint, I look forward to the Christmas season because that's generally the mintiest part of the year. I'm not actually a fan of candy canes, but add peppermint to ice cream or chocolate, and I'm in. Publix actually has the best limited-time offer (LTO) peppermint stick ice cream, at least since I left New England, but if you add that specific minty flavor into hot chocolate, ice cream, or a chocolate bar, I'll try it at least once. Costco will, of course, be entering its own holiday season soon, carrying decorations, lights, gifts, and seasonal foods. In some cases, that means bringing back past favorites, and in others, it's a chance to introduce something new. Now, the warehouse club has partnered with Häagen-Dazs. Costco will be the home to one exclusive LTO Häagen-Dazs offer, while the ice cream brand will keep one treat just for its stores, and offer a third widely across its retail partners. Costco adds a Häagen-Dazs exclusive LTO. Costco actually has a web page that shows off some of its exclusive LTOs. The current page shows everything from a massage chair to a top-loading dishwasher. The page does not show any food items, but it does offer two separate golf carts that cost more than $10,000. To experience the Häagen-Dazs offer, you actually have to visit a Costco. Häagen-Dazs shared a description of its exclusive with the warehouse club. * Peppermint Bark Mini Bars: Peppermint perfection is back and making its debut in Mini Bars! Available exclusively at Costco for the first time as a 18-count pack, these festive treats feature creamy white chocolate ice cream coated in a thick layer of dark chocolate and finished with crunchy peppermint bark pieces. The Costco exclusive has begun hitting shelves, but the official launch is on Oct. 14. The Peppermint Bark Mini Bars will be available at all Costco locations nationwide starting at $13.99. Häagen-Dazs also has two other seasonal offers, not unique to Costco. The first will be sold at retailers everywhere, while the second is only being offered at Häagen-Dazs shops. * Peppermint Bark: Celebrate the season with Häagen-Dazs delicious take on a beloved holiday classic. Available at national grocery retailers, this rich white chocolate ice cream is blended with crunchy, chocolaty peppermint bark and peppermint candy pieces. * Häagen-Dazs Shops Treats: Häagen-Dazs Shops are getting into the holiday spirit with four festive peppermint bark creations: the Peppermint Bark Shake, Peppermint Bark Dazzler Sundae, Peppermint Bark Frozen Hot Chocolate, and Peppermint Bark Dipped Waffle Cone. The seasonal treats will be available at Häagen-Dazs Shops from Nov. 14 through Jan. 14. Costco adds LTOs throughout the year. LTOs drive interest and excitement at warehouse clubs. Chris Coyne, who serves as director of merchant analytics for Costco rival BJ's Wholesale, explained the value and challenges of LTOs on his LinkedIn page. "Category managers often wonder about how to think about rotational or LTO offerings within the assortment," he wrote. More Costco "Yes, they often drive increased costs through operational complexities, end-of-life markdowns, and increased resource allocation, BUT the benefits to the business are excitement and incrementality for the members and potentially incremental margins for the retailer." Coyne also made it clear that creating exclusive LTOs drives customer engagement. "Rotations are fun and exciting for the members and, if managed well, can deliver sales that would not have been there otherwise at strong profits." LTOs all drive more store visits. "Ninety-one percent of consumers report they are more likely to visit a chain if they provide limited-time offers or new items," Circana shared. "Nostalgia is a powerful ingredient in the recipe for LTO success, targeting older consumers by resurrecting previously discontinued menu items," said Circana Senior Vice President David Portalatin. "While LTOs are designed to be temporary, their impact on the perception of a brand is lasting, contributing to maintaining a positive brand image even after the limited-time offer concludes."