A civil class action lawsuit has been filed by six US consumers against plant-based protein manufacturer Beyond Meat Inc, with the papers filed on behalf of all purchasers of Beyond Meat products for personal or household use.

The six consumers cited their concerns that the company allegedly “miscalculates and overstates” the protein content of its meat alternatives in the papers and that Beyond Meat engages in “unfair and/or deceptive business practices by intentionally misrepresenting the nature and quality of Beyond Meat Products”.

The consumers alleged that the true protein amount and/or percentage of the daily value of protein in its products are “a farce” and that Beyond Meats “knowingly prepared” information for display on its website and product labels that “misrepresent” its products' nutritional characteristics.

The lawsuit claims that the method used by Beyond Meats to state the protein content of its products does not correct the protein value of its products derived using the nitrogen content method using an amino acid score correction which they said is required by the US Food and Drug Administration's food labelling regulations.

Beyond Meat is a food company which creates plant-based burgers, meatballs and sausages.