Colgate toothpaste class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: Two consumers filed a class action lawsuit against Colgate-Palmolive Company.
- Why: The plaintiffs claim Colgate failed to disclose that its hello kids toothpaste contains “substantial” levels of lead.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.
A new class action lawsuit alleges Colgate-Palmolive Co. misled consumers by failing to disclose that its hello kids toothpaste contains “substantial” levels of lead.
Plaintiffs Nathan Barton and Cynthia Fahrnkopf claim independent laboratory testing found all flavors of the Colgate toothpaste contain a substantial amount of lead.
“The amount of lead in the Products far exceeds any amount that would be considered safe for children; indeed, many pediatricians and toxicologists agree that no level of lead exposure is safe for children,” the Colgate toothpaste class action says.
Barton and Fahrnkopf want to represent a California class of consumers who bought Colgate’s hello kids toothpaste in the past four years.
Colgate misleads consumers into thinking hello kids toothpaste is safe, class action claims
Barton and Fahrnkopf claim labels allegedly representing Colgate’s hello kids toothpaste as being safe are misleading and deceptive due to the alleged substantial amount of lead.
The plaintiffs argue that the label representations “are likely to lead reasonable consumers of Defendant’s Products to believe that they are purchasing a premium toothpaste that is designed and safe for use by children.”
The front label of Colgate’s kids fluoride toothpaste states that it is for “kids ages 2+” and the front label of Colgate’s fluoride-free toothpaste states that it is for “kids all ages,” according to the Colgate toothpaste class action lawsuit.
The class action lawsuit further argues that vibrant box imagery, including colorful backgrounds featuring rainbows, strawberries and watermelons, and images of unicorns, sharks, mermaids and dragons, is also intentionally designed to appeal to children and their caregivers.
Barton and Fahrnkopf claim Colgate is in violation of California’s Unfair Competition Law, False Advertising Law and Consumer Legal Remedies Act.
The plaintiffs demand a jury trial and request declaratory and injunctive relief and an award of compensatory and monetary damages for themselves and all class members.
A previous toothpaste-related complaint accused Colgate and its subsidiary Tom’s of Maine of selling toothpaste products made with bacteria-contaminated water.
Have you purchased Colgate’s hello kids toothpaste? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiffs are represented by Naomi Spector of KamberLaw LLP.
The Colgate toothpaste class action lawsuit is Barton, et al. v. Colgate-Palmolive Co., Case No. 3:25-cv-02833, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
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