Martha Stewart Pet Product Line Not ‘Natural,’ Class Action Lawsuit Claims

A Martha Stewart-branded line of dog products has come under fire in a nationwide class action lawsuit alleging the products aren’t as “natural” as the company claims.

A class action lawsuit filed Thursday in the Southern District of New York is suing pet brand Fetch for Pets, accusing it of deceptive and misleading business practices in the marketing of its Martha Stewart product line. 

The line of 16 shampoos, conditioners, wipes, ointments and cleaning products for cats and dogs uses marketing that states or implies its products are “natural,” when allegedly they contain non-natural and synthetic ingredients.

“Companies such as [Fetch for Pets] have capitalized on consumers’ desire for purportedly “natural products”,” the lawsuit said. 

“Indeed, consumers are willing to pay, and have paid, a premium for products branded “natural” over products that contain synthetic ingredients.” 

In the lawsuit, consumer Eva Levin lays out 14 different ingredients contained in the products that she argues are “synthetic” and not “natural” including DMDM hydantoin, a chemical involved in other recent shampoo lawsuits. 

Fetch for Pets did not disclose the ingredients as synthetic, and the average consumer would have thought from the “natural” label they were getting natural ingredients, the class action lawsuit said.

Levin, a New Yorker, said she bought products from the range believing they were natural, and paid a premium for them. She said she wouldn’t have paid what she did if she had known the products contained chemicals.

Levin is looking to represent a nationwide class of United States consumers who bought the products, plus a separate New York subclass, and is suing the company under New York General Business Laws preventing deceptive acts and false advertising. She is also suing under federal breach of warranty laws, as well as for unjust enrichment.

In terms of damages, Levin is seeking an injunction forcing Fetch for Pets’ marketing to get in line with its product, a jury trial, certification of the class action, monetary and treble damages, statutory damages of $50 per transaction and $500 per transaction under two New York laws, punitive damages, costs and expenses. 

A similar case alleging false advertising is currently going through the Southern District of New York. Zarbee’s, a company that makes health products for children and babies, is facing claims one of its cough syrups for kids isn’t as “natural” as it says.

Do you pay more for products that say they are natural? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Jason P. Sultzer of The Sultzer Law Group P.C. 

The Fetch for Pets Martha Stewart Natural Class Action Lawsuit is Eva Levin, et. al., v. Fetch For Pets, LLC, Case No. 1:21-cv-01894, in the United States District Court Southern District of New York.

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