Panera dropping controversial ‘Charged Lemonade’ amid lawsuits
Panera Bread is dropping its controversial Charged Lemonade drink that is the subject of at least three lawsuits related to its high caffeine content.
The lawsuits allege that the drinks have caused irreversible health issues and even death in some cases.
But despite those accusations, Panera has, until now, not removed the drinks from their menu.
The controversy surrounding the lemonade drinks led to lampooning by social media users who posited why a company would keep selling a potentially deadly product.
Legal experts who spoke to CNN said that the company likely kept the drinks because removing them might be interpreted as an admission that they were not fit for market.
The company did put disclaimers up about the product in some locations.
The company will be phasing the drink out of its menu in the coming weeks, according to Bloomberg.
A spokesperson for Panera told Bloomberg that new drinks will replace the Charged Sips, including drinks that are low-sugar and low-caffeine.
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