Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Senokot Natural Laxative Labeling

The company that makes Senokot natural laxative products has been named as a defendant in a new class action lawsuit over its “natural” labeling.

New York consumer Kelly Tarantino is asking a federal court to stop Avrio Health from continuing to sell its various Senokot natural laxative medications and dietary supplements in packages labeled with the word “natural” because the products contain synthetic ingredients. The labeling is deceptive and misleading, she claims, and induces customers to pay a premium for the Senokot items without knowing they contain artificial materials.

“Companies such as Defendant have capitalized on consumers’ desire for purportedly ‘natural products’ … on the belief that they are safer and healthier than alternative products that are not represented as natural,” the class action lawsuit says. The company’s advertising campaign and product labeling “is false, deceptive, and misleading because the Products contain non-natural, synthetic ingredients.”

Tarantino claims five Senokot products – including three Senokot natural laxative medications and two “digestive support” dietary supplements – contain a number of artificial ingredients.

Among the Senokot ingredients Tarantino says are not natural are magnesium stearate, the magnesium salt of stearic acid, and stearic acid itself, both of which are derived from edible materials, but manipulated to a synthetic state. The Senokot products also contain silicon dioxide or silica, an anticaking agent, titanium dioxide, a color additive, maltodextrin, a “bulking agent,” sodium benzoate, a preservative, and dicalcium phosphate, all synthetic and most recognized as synthetic chemicals under federal regulations and U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, the Tarantino class action lawsuit claims.

Most consumers “lack the meaningful ability to test or independently ascertain or verify whether a product is natural,” Tarantino’s lawyers argue in the class action; instead they rely on product labeling. “Discovering that the ingredients are not natural and are actually synthetic requires a scientific investigation and knowledge of chemistry beyond that of the average consumer.”

As a result of Avrio Health’s practices, Tarantino and countless other consumers paid a premium for the Senokot products because they believed them to be natural, and therefore different than other laxative and digestive health supplements on the market, the class action says.

They suffered financial injury because of that, Tarantino claims, and were “deprived of the benefit” of the natural product they intended to purchase.

Tarantino says Avrio Health violated New York state consumer protection laws, federal consumer and business laws and engaged in unjust enrichment at the expense of its customers.

She is seeking to represent a Class of other consumers who purchased the Senokot natural laxative products and dietary supplements. It is unclear at this point how many potential Class Members might be eligible to participate in the case.

In addition to asking the court to stop Avrio from selling the Senokot products with the word “natural” on their labels and packaging, Tarantino is seeking monetary damages for herself and the proposed Class. She is asking for a jury trial.

The products targeted by the Tarantino class action lawsuit are Senokot Standardized Senna Concentrate Regular Strength, Senokot Standardized Senna Concentrate Docusate Sodium Dual Action, and Senokot Standardized Senna Concentrate Extra Strength laxatives and the Senokot Digestive Support Daily Kiwi Balance Dietary Supplement and Digestive Support Ginger Care Dietary Supplement.

Have you purchased a Senokot natural laxative product recently? Did you choose it because you thought the medication contained only all natural ingredients? Tell us about it in the comment section below.

Lead plaintiff Tarantino and the proposed Class Members are represented by Jason P. Sultzer and Joseph Lipari of The Sultzer Law Group, P.C., and Michael R. Reese of Reese LLP.

The Senokot Natural Laxative Class Action Lawsuit is Kelly Tarantino, et al. v Avrio Health., Case No. 2:20-cv-05220, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

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