The Panera lemonade
By TQ BONNER
The fast-casual chain Panera Bread is facing multiple lawsuits related to its line of Charged Lemonade drinks. The most recent case alleges that a 46-year-old man named Dennis Brown died in October while walking home from a Panera Bread in Florida after he consumed three Charged Lemonades, ABC News reports.
A 38-year-old man drank a Charged Lemonade before collapsing and dying unexpectedly in his home in 2021.
His mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Panera Bread over the high-caffeine drink.
Panera’s Charged Lemonade allegedly contains roughly 300 milligrams of caffeine per 20 oz serving, compared to 80 mg in a Red Bull or Monster energy drink.
The lawsuit claims Panera failed to warn consumers adequately about the drink’s high caffeine content and associated health risks.
It accuses Panera of wrongful death and negligence for selling an unsafe beverage without proper labeling or warnings.
If you thought that was the last drop in this lemonade saga, think again. A 37-year-old woman named Sarah Katz also met an untimely end in 2021 after sipping on Panera’s Charged Lemonade.
Her family’s not taking it lightly, slapping a lawsuit on Panera, claiming the caffeine overdose triggered cardiac arrhythmia, sealing her fate.
Panera’s response? New warning labels.
The labels now scream, “Caution: 300mg of caffeine per 20oz!” — equivalent to chugging down 14 soda cans.
They’ve even gone the extra mile, advising against the Charged Lemonade for the kids and those who are caffeine-sensitive.
Panera insists they’re all about responsible information sharing, but the lawsuit argues their labeling game needed to be revised. So, as the legal drama unfolds, one thing’s for sure — Panera’s Charged Lemonade is now under the journalistic spotlight, raising questions about the responsibilities companies bear in keeping customers in the know.