--- title: Jelly Belly Sued Over Misleading Sugar Content description: Jessica Gomez sued Jelly Belly alleging that "fancy phrasing" on the packaging led her to believe she was purchasing a sugar-free product. canonical: https://time.com/4794972/jelly-belly-sugar-free-lawsuit/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-05-26T00:32:09.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:43:58.681Z og:title: Woman Sues Jelly Belly Because She Thought Her Jelly Beans Were Sugar-Free og:description: She alleges the 'fancy packaging' was misleading og:url: https://time.com/4794972/jelly-belly-sugar-free-lawsuit/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0ddd174c5c0c9085/6988cefc2dce015b5f9eda79/jelly-belly-lawsuit-sugar.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2954 og:image:height: 1662 og:image:alt: Jelly Belly Candy Company Production Facility og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Woman Sues Jelly Belly Because She Thought Her Jelly Beans Were Sugar-Free twitter:description: She alleges the 'fancy packaging' was misleading twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0ddd174c5c0c9085/6988cefc2dce015b5f9eda79/jelly-belly-lawsuit-sugar.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Woman Sues Jelly Belly Because She Thought Her Jelly Beans Were Sugar-Free > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=fea76fd0-210d-4b79-9bb6-60b4f61f4411&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Daily | TIME, August 2026 | | Subscribers | 540,000 | TIME, August 2026 | | Open rate | 45.6% | TIME, August 2026 | | Click rate | 3.3% | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Richard Hall, Editor | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The informed consumer. A scaled audience of readers who turn to TIME to stay informed and make sense of the world, with meaningful reach across education and research, nonprofits and civic life, media and communications, government and public institutions, and business and professional services. ### TIME The Brief: key statements * The Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * The Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=fea76fd0-210d-4b79-9bb6-60b4f61f4411&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/subscribe?i=fea76fd0-210d-4b79-9bb6-60b4f61f4411&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's daily news newsletter? The Brief is TIME's daily newsletter, edited by Richard Hall. It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It reaches 540,000 subscribers with a 45.6% open rate as of August 2026. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. by [Elisabeth Sherman / Food & Wine](https://time.com/author/food-wine-2/) ## Elisabeth Sherman / Food & Wine May 26, 2017 12:32 AM UTC  Jelly beans sit for sale at the Jelly Belly Candy Co. store next to the company's manufacturing facility in Fairfield, Calif., U.S., on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010. Jelly beans sit for sale at the Jelly Belly Candy Co. store next to the company's manufacturing facility in Fairfield, Calif., U.S., on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010. Ken James—Bloomberg /Getty Images by [Elisabeth Sherman / Food & Wine](https://time.com/author/food-wine-2/) ## Elisabeth Sherman / Food & Wine May 26, 2017 12:32 AM UTC Jessica Gomez of San Bernadino County is confused about [candy](http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/ultimate-candy-guide). So confused that earlier this year, she brought a [lawsuit](http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2017/05/24/jelly-belly-sued-by-woman-claiming-didnt-know-jelly-beans-contain-sugar.html) against [Jelly Belly](http://www.foodandwine.com/fwx/would-you-eat-jelly-bean-tastes-spoiled-milk), the company that creates jelly beans, alleging that “fancy phrasing” on the packaging led her to believe she was purchasing a sugar-free product. Gomez bought Jelly Belly Sport, a variation of the candy that is marketed as an exercise supplement, supposedly containing carbohydrates, electrolytes and vitamins, which lists evaporated cane juice on the ingredient label, but not sugar. In her class action suit (meaning it represents any person who has been similary misled by Jelly Belly), Gomez states that the ingredient label violates the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, Unfair Business Practices Law and False Advertising Law in California, by intentionally confusing so-called health-concious consumers. Why apparent health fanatics would be eating candy as an exercise supplement in the first place goes without explanation. Understably, Jelly Belly doesn’t think the case has any merit whatsoever, calling the case “nonsense.” They rightfully point out that although the ingredient label may state “evaporated cane juice,” the nutrition facts must include the product’s sugar content — which Gomez would have seen if she was examining the packaging as carefully as she claims. The candy company does seem to be in the wrong in one regard, though: Last year, the [FDA decided](https://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm502680.htm) that the word juice cannot be used to describe anything that doesn’t come from a fruit or vegetable, which means that sometimes when companies use the term juice it can mislead consumers into thinking a product is healthier than it actually is. Obviously, the company still wants the lawsuit thrown out, arguing that, “Plaintiff does not explain why an athlete—or anyone—would be surprised to find sugar in a product described as ‘Jelly Beans'”, which is a fair point. This type of lawsuit seems to be popping up all over the place lately: Earlier this month a case against [Hershey’s slack-fill](http://www.foodandwine.com/news/lawsuit-alleging-hersheys-under-fills-whoppers-boxes-moves-forward) practices was allowed to move forward in court, and last year Krispy Kreme was sued for neglecting to tell customers that their doughnuts [don’t contain real fruit](http://www.foodandwine.com/fwx/food/krispy-kreme-sued-not-using-real-fruit). _This_ [_article_](http://www.foodandwine.com/news/woman-sues-jelly-belly-claiming-she-didnt-know-jelly-beans-contain-sugar) _originally appeared on_ [_FoodandWine.com_](http://www.foodandwine.com) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4794972/jelly-belly-sugar-free-lawsuit/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4794972/jelly-belly-sugar-free-lawsuit/"},"headline":"Woman Sues Jelly Belly Because She Thought Her Jelly Beans Were Sugar-Free","datePublished":"2017-05-26T00:32:09.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:43:58.681Z","description":"Jessica Gomez sued Jelly Belly alleging that \"fancy phrasing\" on the packaging led her to believe she was purchasing a sugar-free product.","url":"https://time.com/4794972/jelly-belly-sugar-free-lawsuit/","keywords":["Newsfeed","California","Food & Drink","Bizarre","Courts"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0ddd174c5c0c9085/6988cefc2dce015b5f9eda79/jelly-belly-lawsuit-sugar.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Elisabeth Sherman / Food & Wine"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0ddd174c5c0c9085/6988cefc2dce015b5f9eda79/jelly-belly-lawsuit-sugar.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Jelly Belly Candy Company Production Facility","caption":"Jelly Belly Candy Company Production Facility","creditText":"Ken James—Bloomberg /Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4794972/jelly-belly-sugar-free-lawsuit/","name":"Woman Sues Jelly Belly Because She Thought Her Jelly Beans Were Sugar-Free"}}]}] ```