Bayer Flintstones Vitamins Class Action: "Artificial Flavor-Free" Claims Misleading, Lawsuit Alleges

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit has been filed against Bayer, alleging that the company falsely advertised its Flintstones sour gummy vitamins as "free of artificial flavors" when they contain a synthetic ingredient called DL-malic acid. 

Consumers Affected: Consumers who purchased Bayer's Flintstones sour gummy vitamins within the last four years.

Court: Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles

Bayer, the pharmaceutical giant known for its iconic Flintstones children's vitamins, is facing a class action lawsuit that alleges the company misled consumers about the presence of artificial flavors in its sour gummy vitamins. 

Angela Madatovian, a California consumer, filed the lawsuit in a state court, claiming that Bayer falsely advertised the vitamins as "free of artificial flavors" when they actually contain a synthetic ingredient.

Madatovian purchased the sour Flintstones gummy vitamins, relying on the "free of artificial flavors" claim prominently displayed on the product label. However, she later discovered that the vitamins contain DL-malic acid, a synthetic ingredient derived from petroleum products, used to create the sour flavor in the gummies.

Lawsuit Claims Bayer Misled Consumers with "Artificial Flavor-Free" Claims on Flintstones Vitamins

The lawsuit argues that Bayer's use of the "free of artificial flavors" claim is false and misleading because DL-malic acid is not a natural flavoring agent. This misrepresentation, the lawsuit contends, violates California's consumer protection laws, which prohibit false advertising and unfair competition.

The complaint also asserts that Bayer's false advertising deprived consumers of their right to make informed choices about the products they purchase. Consumers who are concerned about artificial ingredients, it argues, would not have purchased the Flintstones gummy vitamins had they known they contained DL-malic acid.

Madatovian claims that she and other consumers suffered financial harm by purchasing the vitamins under the false belief that they were free of artificial flavors. She also alleges that she experienced "stress, aggravation, frustration, loss of trust, and loss of confidence in product labeling" as a result of Bayer's alleged misrepresentation.

Bayer Faces Another Class Action Over Alleged Deceptive Advertising of Vitamin Products

This is not the first time Bayer has faced legal challenges related to its vitamin products. In September 2024, a federal judge in California ruled that Bayer must face a class action alleging that it deceptively advertised certain One A Day multivitamins as "natural" despite containing synthetic ingredients.

Madatovian filed the Bayer Flintstones vitamins class action lawsuit on behalf of herself and a proposed nationwide class of consumers who purchased the allegedly mislabeled Flintstones vitamins within the last four years. She also seeks to represent a California subclass.

She aims to hold Bayer accountable for its alleged deceptive advertising practices and seeks various forms of relief, including compensation for consumers who purchased the mislabeled vitamins, a court order prohibiting Bayer from continuing its misleading advertising practices, and corrective advertising to inform the public about the true nature of the Flintstones gummy vitamins.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Madatovian v. Bayer Healthcare LLC
• Case Number: 24STCV27825
• Court: Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Todd M. Friedman and Adrian R. Bacon (Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman PC)

Have you purchased Bayer's Flintstones sour gummy vitamins? Share your thoughts on this lawsuit in the comments below.