Recent sunscreen class actions allege false advertising

Sunscreen class action lawsuits overview: 

• Who: Consumers recently filed class action lawsuits against Walmart Inc., Big Lots, Able C&C US and Supergoop LLC. 
• Why: The class action lawsuits claim the companies falsely advertise sunscreen products. 
• Where: The class action lawsuits were filed in U.S. federal courts. 

Consumers recently filed several false advertising class action lawsuits against the manufacturers of Equate, Sound Body, MISSHA, A’pieu and Supergoop sunscreen products. 

Wamart’s misrepresents Equate sunscreen as ‘reef friendly,’ class action claims

A consumer filed a class action lawsuit against Walmart Inc. earlier this month over claims the company misrepresents its Equate-brand sunscreen products as “reef-friendly.” 

The class action lawsuit claims Walmart’s Equate sunscreens, despite being marketed as “reef-friendly,” contain active and inactive ingredients that harm coral reefs, including the chemicals avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene, among others. 

The consumer argues that while Walmart discloses the chemicals in fine print on the back of the Equate sunscreen products, consumers typically rely on labeling when making buying decisions and are unaware of the true qualities of a product’s ingredients. 

“Nowhere on the labeling does the product tell purchasers that its active and inactive ingredients … are harmful to reefs and not ‘reef-friendly,’” the Walmart class action says. 

Big Lots’ Sound Body sunscreen not ‘reef conscious,’ as labeled, class action says

A consumer filed a class action lawsuit against Big Lots in May over claims the retailer falsely advertises its Sound Body-brand sunscreen as “reef-conscious” despite containing ingredients that are dangerous to reefs. 

The class action lawsuit claims Big Lots does not inform consumers that the Sound Body sunscreen products contain ingredients that are dangerous to reefs, including the chemicals avobenzone, octocrylene, octisalate and homosalate.

“Nowhere on the front or back of the Product are purchasers told … that sunscreen containing ingredients known and/or linked to harming critical and fragile reef ecosystems and/or the environment, is not ‘reef-conscious,’” the Big Lots class action says. 

MISSHA, A’pieu falsely advertised as ‘waterproof,’ ‘sweatproof,’ class action claims 

A trio of consumers filed a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer of MISSA and A’pieu sunscreen products in February over claims the company falsely advertised the products. 

The class action lawsuit claims Able C&C US falsely advertised its MISSA and A’pieu sunscreen products as waterproof and sweatproof in an attempt to capitalize on consumers’ desire to protect their skin from the sun in and around water. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has stated “no sunscreen is waterproof;” however, as they all will eventually wash off, according to the A’pieu and MISSHA sunscreen class action.

“Unfortunately, all sunscreens eventually wash off in the water, and thus there is no such thing as ‘waterproof’ sunscreen. For that reason, any claim that a sunscreen is ‘waterproof’ is false and misleading,” the A’pieu and MISSHA sunscreen class action says. 

SPF levels of Supergoop sunscreen products falsely advertised, class action says

A consumer filed a class action lawsuit against Supergoop LLC over claims the company falsely advertised the SPF of its Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 products. 

The class action lawsuit claims Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 products actually contain an SPF protection level “significantly lower” than 40, including an SPF of 23 and an SPF of 20 for the face and body versions, respectively. 

“Plaintiff and the class members relied upon and purchased the products believing that the Products provided SPF 40 sun protection as indicated on the products’ (principal display panels),” the Supergoop class action says.

Have you purchased a falsely advertised sunscreen product? Let us know in the comments.

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