Amazon Basics accused of “misleading” consumers and contributing to deforestation
Hagens Berman has filed a lawsuit against Amazon’s private label, Amazon Basics, accusing it of “misleading” consumers by advertising its paper products as eco-friendly despite concerns over pulp-sourcing practices.
The US class-action law firm alleges that Amazon is sourcing its paper pulp from suppliers that contribute to the deforestation of sensitive Canadian boreal forests while intentionally targeting consumers seeking to make environmentally conscious choices.
“We believe consumers have been fundamentally harmed by each and every one of Amazon’s deceptive marketing and lies by omission, and our complaint cites specific examples of what we believe to be some of Amazon’s most deceptive practices and material violations,” Steve Berman, managing partner at Hagens Berman, tells Packaging Insights.
“Among what we believe to be Amazon’s most egregious practices are its use of directly deceptive logos to convey what any reasonable consumer would believe to be commitment to environmental sustainability when in fact Amazon sources its products directly from boreal suppliers who are clearcutting and burning centuries-old forests.”
We approached Amazon for a comment, but the company is yet to respond.
False advertising?
The legal case alleges that Amazon has failed to disclose that its Amazon Basics products, such as toilet paper and paper towels, contribute to the “devastating destruction” of Canada’s boreal forest — one of the last remaining of its kind.
The lawsuit alleges Amazon Basics products contribute to the “devastating destruction” of Canada’s boreal forest.
“Per our complaint, Amazon does not tell consumers whether any initiatives — including its US$100 million Right Now Climate Fund — are designed to restore or replace the trees lost due to industrial logging practices in the boreal forest,” Berman explains.
“Given that boreal pulp suppliers are sending 26 million metric tons of caron dioxide into the atmosphere every year, any Amazon initiative would have to be in the billions to offset the climate impacts of Amazon’s current paper products supply chain.”
onmental responsibility,” pointing to the company’s campaign, The Climate Pledge, as part of which Amazon spent US$300–400 million to acquire the naming rights to the Climate Pledge sports arena in Seattle, US.
The lawsuit also points out that Amazon developed the Sustainability Leaf initiative, which the company says can be used to identify eco-friendly products on its website and its Climate Pledge Friendly logo, which allows customers to find products that “help preserve the natural world.”
Hagens Berman’s lawsuit claims that Amazon’s actions constitute “fraudulent concealment and violation of state consumer-protection laws pertaining to fraud, unfair competition, and deceptive business practices.” It alleges that Amazon violated the Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides, which are incorporated into the consumer protection laws of many US states.
“Amazon’s sheer scale and impact is massive, and it has unfortunately chosen to use its potential in ways that directly harm the planet. Twenty-six million metric tons of carbon dioxide is sent into the atmosphere each year by supplies in the Amazon Basics paper products supply chain,” Berman continues.
"We’re here to support consumers in saying enough is enough. Amazon cannot continue its hypocritical actions in the face of flagrant greenwashing while centuries-old sensitive forests suffer the cost, and consumers pay for these deceptive practices.”
In a recent interview with Packaging Insights, Pat Lindner, vice president of Mechatronics and Sustainable Packaging at Amazon, said the company is continuing to expand its use of paper-based packaging where possible while seeking ways to reduce packaging overall.
