Panera Bread has settled with the family of Sarah Katz, a University of Pennsylvania student who died after drinking the chain’s highly caffeinated Charged Lemonade. Katz, 21, had a heart condition that made her avoid energy drinks, but she purchased the beverage at a Panera restaurant in September 2022 and went into cardiac arrest hours later. The lawsuit filed by Katz’s parents was the first of four lawsuits against Panera regarding the drink, with others alleging death and permanent heart injuries.
Panera announced in May that it was discontinuing the Charged Lemonade nationwide, despite claiming the decision was part of a menu transformation. The company expressed sadness over Katz’s passing and vowed to investigate the matter. The wrongful death lawsuit revealed that the Charged Lemonade contained as much caffeine as Panera’s dark roast coffee and nearly 30 teaspoons of sugar in the large size, along with guarana extract.
Following the lawsuit, Panera made changes such as moving the drink behind the counter, updating nutrition information, and adding warning signs about the caffeine content. The Katz case was set to go to trial this month, but the settlement details were not disclosed. Elizabeth Crawford, representing the plaintiffs, stated that the matter has been resolved. Despite the settlements, the lawsuits shed light on the dangers of highly caffeinated beverages and raised questions about how they are marketed and sold.
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