People who bought Blues Hog Champions’ Blend Sugar Free BBQ Sauce may be covered by a proposed class action alleging Blues Hog labels the sauce “sugar free” even though its first ingredient is allulose, which the complaint says is a sugar under federal rules. No class has been certified and there is nothing to file yet.
Allegations Only · No Settlement Yet
This article describes a class action complaint. The statements below are unproven allegations. Blues Hog, LLC has not been found liable, there is no certified class, and nothing to claim at this time. This page is informational and is not legal advice.
What Is This About?
Blues Hog, LLC, a barbecue sauce maker based in Washington, Missouri, was sued on October 6, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois over its Champions’ Blend Sugar Free BBQ Sauce. The case is Lee v. Blues Hog, LLC, No. 1:26-cv-12226.The complaint says the sauce’s front label reads “SUGAR FREE” and its Nutrition Facts panel shows 0 grams of total and added sugars, while the ingredient list names allulose first. It argues allulose is a sugar under federal labeling rules, so the sugar free claim is false. The named plaintiff, an Illinois resident, says she bought the sauce from Walmart.com and Amazon.com around April and June 2026. Blues Hog has not responded, and the court has not ruled.
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Why the Complaint Says “Sugar Free” Is Wrong
Federal rules define “sugars” as the sum of all free monosaccharides and disaccharides. The complaint says allulose, a rare sugar chemically close to fructose, is a monosaccharide and therefore counts. A “sugar free” claim is permitted only when a serving contains less than 0.5 grams of sugars, and the complaint argues a sauce whose main ingredient is allulose cannot meet that test.The label does not say how much allulose a serving contains. The complaint points out that the Nutrition Facts panel lists 20 grams of total carbohydrate per serving while showing 0 grams of sugars, and says the 0 gram figure reinforces the misleading front label rather than correcting it. It also cites the Seventh Circuit’s July 27, 2026 decision in Franco v. Chobani, LLC, which held that allulose is a sugar under the federal definition. That ruling binds federal courts in Illinois, where this case was filed.
The Other Side of the Argument
FDA guidance issued in 2020 says the agency will not object if manufacturers leave allulose out of the Total Sugars and Added Sugars lines on the Nutrition Facts panel, because it has far fewer calories than table sugar and causes little rise in blood sugar. That is why products made with allulose can show 0 grams of sugar. Companies in other allulose cases have argued that the guidance permits their labels and that federal law preempts state-law claims. Franco rejected the first argument in the Seventh Circuit, but Blues Hog has not yet filed a response here, so its own position is not known.What the Lawsuit Claims and Seeks
There are three counts: violations of the consumer protection laws of eight states on behalf of the multi-state class; violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act on behalf of the Illinois subclass; and unjust enrichment, also for the Illinois subclass. The theory is a price premium: buyers would not have bought the sauce, or would have paid less, without the sugar free claim. The complaint asks for compensatory, statutory and punitive damages, restitution, interest, attorneys’ fees, and an order requiring Blues Hog to stop using the claim and correct the impression it created. Those are requests, not amounts anyone has been awarded.Who Would Be Covered?
The complaint proposes two groups, each limited to people who bought the sauce for personal use within the period allowed by law:- An Illinois subclass of buyers in Illinois
- A multi-state class of buyers in Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Washington
Blues Hog and its affiliates, officers and directors are excluded. The definitions are proposals until a court certifies a class, and the complaint reserves the right to add states.
One of Many Allulose Lawsuits
Blues Hog joins Ken’s Foods, sued in September over its Sweet Baby Ray’s No Sugar Added sauces, as a barbecue sauce maker facing an allulose suit. That case challenges a “no sugar added” claim; this one challenges a “sugar free” claim, which turns on the amount of sugar per serving rather than whether any was added. Similar suits target Monin sugar free syrups, KIND bars, Special K cereals, BodyArmor and others, all listed on OCA’s allulose “zero sugar” class action tracker.What Happens Next
Blues Hog must be served and respond to the complaint. In other allulose cases, defendants have answered with motions to dismiss arguing preemption, so a ruling on that question is the next real milestone. There is nothing to file and no deadline for consumers. If the case settles, a court-approved notice would explain who qualifies and how to file a claim.Questions
Is there a Blues Hog BBQ sauce class action?
Yes. Lee v. Blues Hog, LLC, No. 1:26-cv-12226, was filed on October 6, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. It is at the complaint stage. No class has been certified, there is no settlement, and there is nothing to claim yet.
Which Blues Hog product is involved?
Only Blues Hog Champions’ Blend Sugar Free BBQ Sauce. It is the single product named in the complaint.
Why does the lawsuit say the sauce is not sugar free?
The complaint says allulose is the sauce’s first ingredient and that allulose, a monosaccharide, is a sugar under the federal labeling definition. A sugar free claim is allowed only when a serving has less than 0.5 grams of sugar, so the complaint argues the claim is false. The label does not state how much allulose a serving contains.
Who would be covered by the Blues Hog lawsuit?
The complaint proposes an Illinois subclass of people who bought the sauce in Illinois for personal use, and a multi-state class of buyers in Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Washington. These are proposals; a court has not certified either class.
Sources
• Class Action Complaint, Lee v. Blues Hog, LLC, No. 1:26-cv-12226 (N.D. Ill., filed October 6, 2026): complaint (PDF) and docket.• Federal labeling rules: 21 C.F.R. § 101.60, nutrient content claims for sugar content.
