Reynolds class action claims company falsely advertises products as made in U.S.

Reynolds false advertising class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: Plaintiff Anaya Washington filed a class action lawsuit against Reynolds Consumer Products LLC.
• Why: The lawsuit claims Reynolds falsely advertises its aluminum foil as being made in the United States.
• Where: The Reynolds class action lawsuit was filed in New York federal court.

A new false advertising class action lawsuit claims Reynolds Consumer Products LLC falsely labels its aluminum foil products as being made in the United States even though a vital component is allegedly sourced outside the country.

Plaintiff Anaya Washington says American consumers value American-made products. The Federal Trade Commission has clarified that the phrase “made in the United States” and its synonyms indicated on a product label is an unqualified representation that the product and the raw materials used in its manufacture are of U.S. origin, according to the Reynolds class action lawsuit.

“Due to defendant’s representation ‘FOIL MADE IN U.S.A.’ followed by three stars, consumers will expect that all or virtually all of the raw materials used in the foil product are sourced from within the United States, and a substantial amount of the transformation of the product’s raw materials into the product took place within the United States,” Washington claims in the Reynolds class action.

Aluminum components not sourced in U.S., Reynolds class action says

Bauxite is the only commercial ore of aluminum, but none of the bauxite mined in the United States has been used for aluminum since 1981, the Reynolds false advertising lawsuit alleges. Bauxite mined in the United States is reportedly used for abrasives, high-temperature refractory materials and as a high-strength proppant for hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells.

“Without bauxite sourced from outside the United States, it would be impossible to produce the foil product,” Washington says in the Reynolds class action. “All, or virtually all, of the bauxite used in the products is sourced from outside of the United States, contrary to the ‘Made in U.S.A.’ claim.”

Washington also alleges a majority of the Reynolds aluminum foil manufacturing process occurs outside the United States, making Reynolds’s claim the product was made in the U.S. misleading to consumers.

She alleges Reynolds knew its claim the product is made in the U.S. was misleading but intentionally, falsely labeled its aluminum foil product as such anyway in order to entice consumers to purchase it.

Washington says she would not have paid as much for the Reynolds aluminum foil, or would not have purchased it at all, if she had known the claims it was made in the U.S. were false and misleading.

Another recent Reynolds class action lawsuit similarly alleged the company falsely advertised its aluminum foil products as being made in the U.S.

Do you think Reynolds’ claims its product is made in the U.S. are deceptive? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by George V. Granade and Michael R. Reese of Reese LLP, Elizabeth Ryan of Bailey & Glasser LLP and Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC.

The Reynolds “made in the U.S.” class action lawsuit is Anaya Washington v. Reynolds Consumer Products LLC, Case No. 1:24-cv-02327, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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