Nutella
DROP ITby Ferrero
Last verified September 13, 2026
💬 — ask a question or share feedback →Ferrero paid $3 million in 2012 to settle a class-action lawsuit and removed the phrase 'balanced breakfast' from Nutella's labeling after plaintiffs pointed out a single serving carries 21 grams of sugar, 200 calories, and 11 grams of fat.
Ferrero's Nutella packaging and TV commercials described the hazelnut spread as 'An example of a tasty yet balanced breakfast,' positioning it as a wholesome part of a healthy morning meal for families with children.
Plaintiffs, including a mother who fed the product to her 4-year-old daughter based on the balanced-breakfast messaging, sued after discovering each serving contained 21 grams of sugar, 200 calories, and 11 grams of fat (3.5 grams saturated). Ferrero settled the resulting class action for $3 million in 2012, agreeing to pay consumers $4 per jar (up to 5 jars each), remove the 'balanced breakfast' phrase from the back label entirely, replace it with 'Turn a balanced breakfast into a tasty one,' and submit future commercials for plaintiff approval before airing.
The exact phrase 'balanced breakfast' implied the spread itself contributed to nutritional balance, when in reality a single serving carries 21 grams of sugar and 200 calories -- more in line with a dessert topping than a breakfast staple. Ferrero's $3 million settlement and its own rewrite of the label language (dropping 'balanced breakfast' outright) is a real, direct concession that the original phrasing overstated the product's role in a healthy morning meal.
- CBS News — Ferrero settled for $3 million and removed the 'balanced breakfast' phrase from labeling entirely after plaintiffs highlighted the product's 21g sugar, 200 calorie, and 11g fat per-serving nutrition facts.
Real VS Fake Nutella — So Saute
Did Nutella really call itself part of a balanced breakfast?
Yes, both on packaging and in TV commercials, until a 2012 class-action settlement required Ferrero to remove that exact language.
How much sugar is actually in a serving of Nutella?
About 21 grams of sugar, 200 calories, and 11 grams of fat (3.5 grams saturated) per serving, according to the nutrition facts cited in the lawsuit.