Young Living Class Action Lawsuit Says Therapeutic Essential Oils Are Falsely Advertised

A Minnesota woman has filed a class action lawsuit claiming Young Living’s therapeutic essential oils aren’t really therapeutic at all, despite the company’s advertising.

Shannon Branchaud of Minnesota says she purchased numerous bottles of Young Living Essential Oils over the last four years, and paid a premium price for them, because they were billed to be of “therapeutic grade.” The labeling on the bottles said so. Yet Young Living has no scientific proof or test results to back up the company’s claims about the benefits its oils offer, she says.

“Contrary to the express representations made on its label, the products, which claim to be ‘therapeutic’ and provide a number of health related benefits, provide no healthy or medicinal benefit whatsoever,” Branchaud’s class action lawsuit claims.

Among the specific health and wellness benefits Young Living has said its various therapeutic essential oils deliver, according to the class action lawsuit, are:

• That its Dragon Time oil will calm or relax consumers when applied or diffused, helping “promote feelings of stability and calm during occasional times of moodiness.”
• That its bergamot oil will help reduce feelings of anxiety when applied or diffused, relieving “tension during times of occasional stress.”
• That its RC oil can help improve sleep.
• That its Brain Power oil, a blend of “therapeutic essential oils,” will “promote a sense of clarity and focus when used aromatically.”
• That its Davana oil can treat symptoms of depression.

The company’s sales representatives have been told that “when describing therapeutic-grade essential oils to someone else, it’s important to relay that every essential oil Young Living distills or sources has the highest naturally-occurring blend of constituents to maximize the desired effect,” the Branchaud class action lawsuit says.

Young Living, based in Utah, manufactures its essential oils and distributes and markets them throughout the country by way of independent distributors who sell directly to customers and earn commissions – making it a multi-level marketing company.

The class action lawsuit claims that Young Living Essential Oils reported annual sales of more than $1 billion from 2015 and 2017.

Branchaud’s lawyers filed the class action on her behalf in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota on Thursday. They are seeking the court’s approval to represent both a nationwide Class of consumers who purchased the Young Living therapeutic essential oils and a Class of consumers from Branchaud’s home state of Minnesota.

It is unclear how many Class Members would participate, but there could be “thousands to hundreds of thousands,” the plaintiff’s lawyers said.

Young Living Essential Oils sell for about $36 a bottle, nearly three times the price of other similar products, according to the class action lawsuit.

Before Branchaud filed suit, Young Living was the subject of an investigation by the National Advertising Division, which is the advertising industry’s self-regulatory organization. The NAD monitors and reviews national advertising and hears complaints about misleading ad campaigns.

“Young Living was challenged as to the truthfulness and accuracy of its health related claims about the [essential oils], particularly that they are ‘therapeutic,’” Branchaud’s lawyers noted in the class action. “In that proceeding, Young Living failed to provide any competent and reliable scientific evidence to support its health related claims.”

In July, NAD officials ruled against the company and recommended it stop holding out the oils as therapeutic.

Young Living agreed to abide by the NAD’s recommendations.

According to Branchaud’s legal team, the only reason Young Living used misleading tactics to advertise its essential oils was “to stimulate sales and enhance … profits.” They are accusing the company of violating Minnesota consumer protection and business laws.

Have you ever purchased Young Living’s therapeutic essential oils because you believed they were capable of delivering the health and wellness benefits as advertised? Tell us about it in the comment section below.

Lead plaintiff Branchaud and the proposed Class Members are represented by Robert K. Shelquist and Rebecca A. Peterson of Lockridge Grindal Nauen P.L.L.P.; Gary M. Klinger and Gary E. Mason of Mason Lietz & Klinger LLP; and Aaron Siri and Mason A. Barney of Siri & Glimstad LLP.

The Therapeutic Essential Oils Class Action Lawsuit is Shannon Branchaud, et al. v. Young Living Essential Oils LC, Case No. 0:20-cv-02450-MJD-LIB, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

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