An investigation by the San Francisco city attorney and the New York state attorney into the Corona-based Monster Beverage Corp., claim the company is marketing its caffeinated drinks to children, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The first lawsuit filed against the company was in 2012 by San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera who claims the company misrepresents their beverages through advertising and market their energy drinks to kids, the Times reported.
"Despite the known dangers highly-caffeinated products pose to young people's health and safety, Monster deliberately targets children with its marketing," Herrera said in a statement, according to the Times."The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee has expressed grave concerns about aggressive marketing of these products to young people, and the NCAA even prohibits member colleges from giving energy drinks to athletes because of the serious safety risks."
Shortly after, Monster also filed a lawsuit asking the federal judge in California to put a halt on the probe, but the judge denied them in December, according to the Times.
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Monster 16-ounce energy drink contains 160 milligrams of caffeine, while the same size of a Starbuck's coffee contains 330 milligrams, the Times reported.
In the suit filed in 2012, Herrera claims Monster's marketing strategy is geared toward children and cited the "Monster Army" social network which displays the company's advertising of the energy drinks during school events, according to the Times. Another promotion called the "Monster Energy Drink Player of the Game," the company takes pictures of high school athletes holding two packs of four 16-ounce energy drinks.
If the investigation is successful, the company will have to stop both marketing campaigns and may pay a civil fine and restitution due to "unfair business practices," according to the Times.
The Monster energy drinks contain warning labels printed on the can asking "consumers to drink responsibly, to not consume more than three cans per day and warns the beverage is not recommended for children, pregnant women or people sensitive to caffeine," the Times reported.
