Admission about Stanley cups lead content sparks class actions

Stanley cups class actions overview: 

• Who: Pacific Market International, the parent company of Stanley cups, is facing a pair of class action lawsuits. 
• Why: The company admitted in January that the cups contain lead in their vacuum seal.
• Where: The Stanley cups lead lawsuits were filed in state court in Los Angeles and federal court in Washington.

Pacific Market International (PMI) is facing two class actions after the company admitted to using lead in Stanley cups’ vacuum seal.

The Stanley cups class actions, which were filed in state court in California and federal court in Washington, claim PMI hid its use of lead in the products while marketing the cups to a target market of young professional women of childbearing age.

“PMI has marketed its products to the public for years as a safe, practical item especially suitable for young women,” the California Stanley cups lead lawsuit says. “But PMI did not disclose its use of lead in manufacturing until January 2024. Rather, it advertises its cups as being ‘BPA-free’ and made of stainless steel while omitting another key ingredient used in its vacuum seal: lead.”

Stanley cups class action: Lead seal can be exposed in worn, damaged cups

Unsafe lead levels can lead to developmental issues in children and have lifelong health effects, including “reproductive toxicity, cardiovascular disease and nervous system damage” especially when the lead is touched, swallowed or inhaled, the Stanley cups class actions claim.

The plaintiff in the federal lawsuit claims that when she purchased a $35 Stanley cup from Target, she was never made aware of the item’s lead content nor would she have reasonably expected it to contain lead.

If the cups are damaged or worn, their vacuum seal can break loose and expose the user to lead, the federal lawsuit says.

“According to the World Health Organization, there is no safe level of lead exposure for humans,” the lawsuit says. “… Even small amounts of lead can accumulate in the body over time and cause chronic poisoning. The symptoms of lead poisoning may not be noticeable at first, but they can worsen over time and become irreversible.”

Consumers also filed class action lawsuits against WanaBana and Procter & Gamble in recent months over unsafe levels of lead in their products.

Are you concerned that lead was used in manufacturing Stanley cups? Let us know in the comments.

The California plaintiffs are represented by John Mayfield Rushing, Ryan McCarl, Davit Avagyan and Elisabeth Nations of Rushing McCarl LLP.

The Washington plaintiffs are represented by Jason T. Dennett of Tousley Brain Stephens PLLC, along with William J. Doyle and Chris W. Cantrell of Doyle APC and Alan M. Mansfield of Whatley Kallas LLP.

The Stanley cups class action lawsuits are Brown, et al. v. Pacific Market International LLC, Case No. 24STCV02653, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles; and Franzetti v. Pacific Market International LLC d/b/a PMI Worldwide, Case No. 2:24-cv-00191-TL, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

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