Melissa LaFreniere  |  June 29, 2017

Category: Consumer News

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

MARINA, CA/USA - DECEMBER 30, 2013: Exterior view of a Target retail store. Target Corporation is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States.Target faces a class action lawsuit that accuses the retail giant of falsely advertising its living room furniture as being made of “leather,” when it actually consists of a synthetic material prone to cracking and peeling prematurely.

Plaintiff Jeffrey Fellman of Florida says that since 2009 he’s purchased a total of 10 different furniture pieces from Target that were labeled as being made of leather only to have them not be able to withstand normal household use.

Fellman claims that prior to making his purchases, he saw advertisements for Target furniture which described the products as being made of genuine leather. In addition, the plaintiff says he reviewed the products on Target’s website which also confirmed that the pieces he was interested in were in fact leather.

When checking out the furniture in person, Fellman says he also spoke to an in-store Target manager who confirmed the furniture was indeed leather.

However, in just a few years of ordinary use Fellman says the leather furniture’s outer covering “cracked, peeled, and broke free in large chunks in a manner wholly inconsistent with genuine leather.”

Once this started happening, the Target class action lawsuit claims Fellman grew suspicious that the furniture he bought was not genuine leather. The plaintiff allegedly contacted both Target and the furniture manufacturer to express his concerns.

According to the Target lawsuit, Fellman was informed by the furniture manufacturer that the products he purchased were “clearly invoiced and sold to Defendants as 100% Polyurethane.” The class action states that Polyurethane (or PU) is a synthetic material which, when new, can appear very similar to leather. However, “Nothing in the synthetic chemical makeup of PU is actually leather,” the lawsuit claims.

Fellman also allegedly contacted Target customer service about the fact that the furniture labeled as leather was actually made up of synthetic material but no assistance was offered. The lawsuit states that a Target supervisor told Fellman that they were “not responsible to correct the harm and directed him to bring claims against the manufacturer.”

In addition to the furniture being falsely labeled and advertised as genuine leather, Fellman also takes issue with the product placement within the store. The Target class action claims that furniture consisting of PU was sold right next to furniture items made of actual leather.

“The juxtaposition of which significantly contributed to Plaintiffs reasonable belief, compounded by representations from Defendants’ employees and Promotional Materials, that the Furniture was leather,” the Target lawsuit states. 

Fellman seeks to represent a nationwide Class of Target customers who purchased pleather furniture at a Target store since Jan. 1, 2009. In addition, the plaintiff also wants to represent a subclass of Florida residents.

The class action states that Target is in violation of the Minnesota Prevention of Consumer Fraud Act, Breach of Express Warranty, Breach of Implied Warranties of Merchantability and Fitness For A Particular Purpose, Unlawful Trade Practices, False Advertising, among other claims.

The plaintiff is represented by Robert K. Shelquist, Rebecca A. Peterson and Jacob M. Saufley of Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP.

The Target Imitation Leather Furniture Class Action Lawsuit is Jeffrey Fellman v. Target Corporation and Target Stores Inc., Case No. 0:17-cv-02267-MJD-DTS, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. 

We tell you about cash you can claim EVERY WEEK! Sign up for our free newsletter.

65 thoughts onTarget Class Action Says ‘Leather’ Furniture is Falsely Advertised

  1. Nelda Ortega says:

    Add me please

  2. Darryl Williams says:

    Please add me to the claim, I also purchased a sofa, recliner, & love seat from target as it was on sale & advertised genuine leather. My furniture looks like hell from cracking & falling off the furniture itself. I still have the sofa but dumping today.

  3. Kathy Okroley says:

    Please add me to the claim, I also purchased a sofa, recliner, & love seat from target as it was on sale & advertised genuine leather. My furniture looks like hell from cracking & falling off the furniture itself. I still hAve the recliner & love seat but took couch to dump.

  4. cynthia whidbee says:

    please add me

  5. Kimmy says:

    Add me to the clam I have furniture from there but no receipt

1 5 6 7

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. By submitting your comment and contact information, you agree to receive marketing emails from Top Class Actions regarding this and/or similar lawsuits or settlements, and/or to be contacted by an attorney or law firm to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you if you qualify. Required fields are marked *

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.