Class action lawsuit against Brita alleges misleading packaging claims
06 Sep 2023 --- A class action lawsuit has been filed against the Brita Products Company for allegedly misleading consumers about the effectiveness of its water pitchers, dispensers and filters in California, US.
The plaintiff, Nicholas Brown, accuses the company of misleading water-related imagery on the Brita products’ front labels and packaging – such as “Cleaner, Great-Tasting Water for Over [20, 25 or 30] Years,” and “The #1 Filter” and “Reduces 3X Contaminants” – to advertise the products as home water treatment devices (WTDs).
The lawsuit alleges deceptive advertising while Brita claims its filters can remove or reduce common hazardous contaminants from drinking water, including the Common Hazardous Contaminants to below lab detection limits.
“This case is about [Brita Products Company], the manufacturer, marketer, advertiser and seller of certain Brita brand water pitchers, dispensers and filters (the products), that chose to take advantage of consumers and their families’ basic and fundamental need for clean and safe drinking water by misleadingly and deceptively marketing their products to convince consumers that they will remove common hazardous contaminants from drinking water, or in the very least reduce them to below lab detection limits,” the lawsuit reads.
“Unfortunately, the products are not nearly as effective as defendant [Brita Products Company] deliberately leads people to believe, causing consumers to overpay millions and forgo more effective alternatives. In this way, the defendant has not only bilked millions of dollars from consumers in ill-gotten gains but also put the health and welfare of millions of consumers and their families at risk.”
Brita’s response
Packaging Insights contacted Brita, owned by Clorox, for a comment but has not received a response.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Clorox released a statement saying it was still reviewing the complaint but looked forward to “defending ourselves vigorously.”
“Brita takes the transparency of the variety of water filtration options we offer seriously,” the statement said as per the publication.
“Our products include a standard filtration option that improves the taste and odor of tap water and is certified to reduce identified contaminants as communicated. For those consumers looking for water filters certified to reduce PFOS or PFOA, the Brita Elite pour-through and Brita Hub are certified to reduce PFOS or PFOA, as well as lead and other identified contaminants.”
Edited by Radhika Sikaria
