Burt’s Bees Markets ‘Highly Synthetic’ Dog Shampoo as Natural, Class Action Says

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Burt’s Bees has executed a “mass deception” on American pet owners through falsely marketing its shampoos for animals as “99.7 percent natural,” a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

New York Plaintiff Moshe Goldfarb filed the class action complaint against Burt’s Bees, Inc. Thursday, June 3, in a New York federal court, alleging violations of New York General Business Law.

Goldfarb — the owner of a Rottweiler-Golden Retriever puppy named Bo — says on April 28 this year, he bought Burt’s Bees 2-in-1 Tearless Shampoo & Conditioner for Puppies and Burt’s Bees Oatmeal Shampoo for Dogs, because Bo has sensitive skin. 

However, he later determined that most of the ingredients in the products are synthetic, the class action says. 

“Defendant Burt’s created a line of dog shampoos and conditioners purporting to be ‘99.7% natural’ but, in reality, being highly synthetic, Burt’s has perpetrated a massive deception on the American pet parent consumer through the marketing of its pet shampoos” in that manner, according to the lawsuit.

Goldfarb says, after Bo was groomed with the shampoo and conditioner, he learned through his own research that one of the listed ingredients, coco betaine, is not natural, “nor is it necessarily benign.” “In fact, it penetrates the skin and can be harmful to the pet,” he says. 

The class action lawsuit points to dog and cat owners’ reports that their pets have died shortly after using Burt’s Bees shampoos. 

The class action cites one veterinarian commenting that they had seen several cases of cats dying of probable toxicity after using the Burt’s Bees products, likely after ingesting the shampoo while grooming.

After those accusations were leveled at the company, the lawsuit says a Burt’s Bees spokesperson made a statement that a not-insignificant percentage of the product consists of soap. 

“The above admission, that 15% -17% of the product is ‘soap,’ means… that instead of .3% synthetic ingredient content, the Products had chemical constituents at least 50-fold of that represented,” Goldfarb says.

He says Burt’s Bees also manufactures a line of shampoos for humans, including babies, making similar claims of being nearly 100 percent natural. 

Burt’s was sold to Clorox Corporation in 2007. Goldfarb says, to capitalize on the trend for natural and organic pet care products, by 2013 Burt’s was marketing a full line of pet care shampoos and was presenting its pet care line in the “natural” image.

As a result, the company has been able to charge a premium. The class action says other pet shampoos that are made by the same manufacturer, Fetch for Pets, honestly disclose their ingredients and don’t claim to be almost completely natural.

“The honest brand fetches $3.97 for a 20 oz. bottle, i.e. $.20 per ounce on Amazon, whereas the deceptively marketed 16 oz. Products (Burt’s) costs $6.98 i.e. $.43 per ounce,” the class action says. 

“Accordingly, it appears that Burt’s enjoys a greater-than 100% price premium due to its deceptive conduct . . . paid for by Americans who work very hard for a paycheck.”

Goldfarb is looking to represent anyone in New York who bought one of 15 pet shampoos or products made by Burt’s and labeled as 99.7 percent natural. 

He is suing under New York General Business Law and seeking certification of the class action, and a permanent injunction preventing Burt’s Bees from labelling its shampoo as “all natural” or “totally natural.” He’s also seeking damages, fees, costs and a jury trial. 

This is not the first time Burt’s Bees has faced class action over its “natural” labels. In 201, a class action lawsuit alleged Burt’s Bees Güd products labeled as “natural” were actually packed with synthetic ingredients. 

What do you think of Burt’s Bees marketing of animal grooming products? Let us know in the comments! 

The plaintiff is represented by Mark Schlachet of the Law Office of Mark Schlachet.
The Burt’s Bees Natural Pet Shampoos Class Action Lawsuit is Moshe Goldfarb v. Burt’s Bees, Inc., Case No. 1:21-cv-04904, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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