Beyond Meat Says Federal Law Bars Protein Deception Lawsuits

Beyond Meat Inc. urged a federal court to dismiss proposed class litigation alleging the company deceptively overstates the protein content in its plant-based products, saying federal food labeling laws preempt the plaintiffs’ claims.

Consumers allege that Beyond Meat misled them into thinking that “Beyond Meat Beyond Beef Plant-Based 16oz Patties,” “Beyond Chicken Plant-Based Breaded Tenders,” and other fare—touted as a way to get high-quality protein while helping the environment—are nutritionally equivalent to their traditional meat analogs.

The plaintiffs said their testing showed that Beyond Meat products didn’t contain the stated protein amount or the stated percentage of daily value for ...