Christina Spicer  |  June 8, 2017

Category: Consumer News

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Jessica Alba The Honest CompanyJessica Alba’s Honest Company agreed to pay $1.55 million to settle class action claims that the company misleads consumers into believing its products don’t contain harsh chemicals.

The Honest Company was hit with a bevy of class action lawsuits after The Wall Street Journal reported that its cleaning and personal care products contained a known skin irritant, sodium lauryl sulfate.

The lawsuits were consolidated into multidistrict litigation and the parties agreed to settle the dispute if Honest Company paid $1.55 million and agreed to change their formula and stop marketing its products as sodium lauryl sulfate free.

The class action plaintiffs alleged that Honest Company tricked consumers into believing they were buying harsh chemical-free products for their home and personal care. The plaintiffs claimed that Honest Company’s marketing of the products violated various state consumer protection laws. Honest Company maintains that it uses sodium coco sulfate (SCS), but, alleged the plaintiffs, this chemical still contains the skin irritant sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).

According to the class action lawsuit, Honest Company marketed their products as “Honestly free of SLS.” But independent testing showed that Honest Laundry Detergent, Honest Dish Soap and Honest Multi­ Surface Cleaner contained significant percentages of SLS, alleged the class action.

“This non­monetary relief is significant because it directly addresses and remedies the central allegation in plaintiffs’ action for future purchasers — that Honest made misleading representations in connection with sale of the SCS ­containing products based on its promise that they were SLS free,” notes the motion asking for preliminary approval of the settlement agreement.

According to the settlement agreement, those who purchased Honest laundry detergent, dish soap, and multipurpose cleaner since Jan. 17, 2012 will be eligible to make a claim. Consumers who do not have proof of purchase will be allowed to make claims for up to $50, while those who retained proof of purchase can make claims for purchases in excess of $50. Honest Company will pay either cash or provide a credit to Class Members. The credit will be worth 1.5 times more than the claims paid in cash.

“For Class Members who purchased the Products online from Honest.com, Honest will verify their purchases based on its records, for the purpose of determining class membership and recovery,” explained the motion. “Thus Class Members will be able to verify their Honest.com purchases without providing additional proof or documentation. Claimants may also verify retail purchases by providing receipts.”

Honest Company will also pay approximately $400,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs and will pay each named class action plaintiffs $1,000 under the terms of the settlement.

Top Class Actions will post updates to this class action settlement as they become available. For the latest updates, keep checking TopClassActions.com or sign up for our free newsletter. You can also receive notifications when this article is updated by using your free Top Class Actions account and clicking the “Follow Article” button at the top of the post.

Interim co-­lead Class Counsel is Daniel L. Warshaw of Pearson Simon & Warshaw LLP and Douglas A. Millen of Freed Kanner London & Millen LLC.

The Honest Company MDL is In re: The Honest Company Inc. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation, MDL No. 2719, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

UPDATE: On Sept. 18, 2017, The Honest Company sodium lauryl sulfate class action settlement is now open. Click here to file a claim.

UPDATE 2: On Feb. 21, 2018, Top Class Actions viewers who filed a valid claim for the Honest Company dish soap, laundry detergent class action settlement are starting to receive their settlement checks in the mail, for amounts as high as $52.42.

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163 thoughts onHonest Company Reaches $1.5M False Advertising Class Action Settlement

  1. Nicole Colletti says:

    You cannot be “Added” you have to fill out the claim form to be added to the lawsuit

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