Bottled water giant slapped with lawsuit over 'false and deceptive' ads: 'Consumers deserve the truth'
Fiji Water was sued in the District of Columbia for its marketing tactics.
On Jan. 31, the Plastic Pollution Coalition alleged that the industry giant violated the district's Consumer Protection Procedures Act with "false and deceptive marketing," according to a news release.
"The Wonderful Company, LLC and Fiji Water, LLC promote Fiji Water as 'natural artesian water,' 'protected from external elements,' and 'untouched,' despite test results revealing that these products contain health-harming microplastics and plastic chemical bisphenol-A, and the companies' roles in creating plastic pollution," the nonprofit stated.
The lawsuit also argued that Fiji's claim to support a circular economy is false, as the business inherently creates plastic pollution. It asked for a ruling that declares the advertisements unlawful and an injunction to halt the practice.
"Marketing bottled water in ways that portray it as healthy, safe, and sustainable is misleading to consumers," Plastic Pollution Coalition co-founder and managing director Julia Cohen said. "… There is nothing natural about plastic."
Earth Island Institute general counsel Scott Hochberg added: "Truth in advertising matters. Microplastics and BPA are neither natural nor healthy, and consumers deserve the truth about the products they consume. We will continue to hold companies like The Wonderful Company and Fiji Water accountable for claims that contradict the true impacts of their products on our health and the environment."
The Plastic Pollution Coalition said plastic pollution is creating human health problems, contaminating drinking water and the environment, and perpetuating injustice in low-income communities, rural communities, and communities of color as well as the Global South.
The organization, an Earth Island Institute project, pointed out that microplastics have been linked to fertility problems, heart attacks, strokes, neurodegenerative disorders, death, and more.
"BPA and other bisphenols, which are added to plastics to increase their rigidity, are known to disrupt the human endocrine (hormone) systems and have been identified as among the most concerning of the more than 16,000 chemicals that are added to plastics," it stated.
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The lawsuit is one way to address the problem of plastic pollution in addition to the false promise of plastic recycling, which the group said was another tactic used by Fiji.
The company touts reducing plastic waste, using recycled material, and 100% recycled plastic packaging; the release stated that "plastic is not designed to be recycled" and is usually never recycled but instead sent to landfills, burned, or shipped overseas, meaning more plastic has to be produced and driving the cycle of pollution and environmental injustice.
Fiji is also owned by the Resnick family, which has been in the headlines often for owning 57% of the rights to the Kern Water Bank, a water reserve near Los Angeles that contains nearly 500 billion gallons of water.
There have been talks about a global plastic pollution treaty, though stakeholders can't agree on how to move forward. Other methods to combat the problem include litter booms and scientific developments that break down plastics.
Individuals can help by using less plastic: switch to a reusable water bottle, turn to reusable grocery bags, and invest in a set of glass food containers.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
Bottled water giant slapped with lawsuit over 'false and deceptive' ads: 'Consumers deserve the truth'
Fiji Water was sued in the District of Columbia for its marketing tactics. On Jan. 31, the Plastic Pollution Coalition alleged that the industry giant violated the district's Consumer Protection Procedures Act with "false and deceptive marketing," according to a news release. "The Wonderful Company, LLC and Fiji Water, LLC promote Fiji Water as 'natural artesian water,' 'protected from external elements,' and 'untouched,' despite test results revealing that these products contain health-harming microplastics and plastic chemical bisphenol-A, and the companies' roles in creating plastic pollution," the nonprofit stated. The lawsuit also argued that Fiji's claim to support a circular economy is false, as the business inherently creates plastic pollution. It asked for a ruling that declares the advertisements unlawful and an injunction to halt the practice. "Marketing bottled water in ways that portray it as healthy, safe, and sustainable is misleading to consumers," Plastic Pollution Coalition co-founder and managing director Julia Cohen said. "… There is nothing natural about plastic." Earth Island Institute general counsel Scott Hochberg added: "Truth in advertising matters. Microplastics and BPA are neither natural nor healthy, and consumers deserve the truth about the products they consume. We will continue to hold companies like The Wonderful Company and Fiji Water accountable for claims that contradict the true impacts of their products on our health and the environment." The Plastic Pollution Coalition said plastic pollution is creating human health problems, contaminating drinking water and the environment, and perpetuating injustice in low-income communities, rural communities, and communities of color as well as the Global South. The organization, an Earth Island Institute project, pointed out that microplastics have been linked to fertility problems, heart attacks, strokes, neurodegenerative disorders, death, and more. "BPA and other bisphenols, which are added to plastics to increase their rigidity, are known to disrupt the human endocrine (hormone) systems and have been identified as among the most concerning of the more than 16,000 chemicals that are added to plastics," it stated. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The lawsuit is one way to address the problem of plastic pollution in addition to the false promise of plastic recycling, which the group said was another tactic used by Fiji. The company touts reducing plastic waste, using recycled material, and 100% recycled plastic packaging; the release stated that "plastic is not designed to be recycled" and is usually never recycled but instead sent to landfills, burned, or shipped overseas, meaning more plastic has to be produced and driving the cycle of pollution and environmental injustice. Fiji is also owned by the Resnick family, which has been in the headlines often for owning 57% of the rights to the Kern Water Bank, a water reserve near Los Angeles that contains nearly 500 billion gallons of water. There have been talks about a global plastic pollution treaty, though stakeholders can't agree on how to move forward. Other methods to combat the problem include litter booms and scientific developments that break down plastics. Individuals can help by using less plastic: switch to a reusable water bottle, turn to reusable grocery bags, and invest in a set of glass food containers. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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Tobacco pouch maker Zyn hit with $1.2M fine for violating DC laws
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Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Check your bottled water stash! Allrecipes/Adobe Stock If you live in Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia, it may be time to get rid of your bottled water. Berkeley Club Beverages, a company based in Berkeley Spring, WV, has recalled 151,397.75 bottles of its product. According to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforcement report, if you've bought Berkeley Springs Water Purified or Berkeley Springs Water Distilled, your bottles could be contaminated with coliform bacteria. According to ScienceDirect, coliforms are rarely not linked to serious illness themselves, but their presence could mean that other pathogens 'of fecal origin' that do cause diseases may be present. Specifically, the article goes on to say, 'The presence of this organism may be an indicator of fecal contamination and be related to use of polluted irrigation water, the presence of feces, or poor sanitation and hygiene.' The voluntary recall was first initiated on Sept. 12, and was terminated on Nov. 13, but if you bought water with the codes 090326, 090426, 090526, or 090626, your water is indeed part of the recall. How worried should you be? Don't panic. On Nov. 8, the recall was given a Class III designation, which the FDA's website says is, 'a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.' It is the least pressing designation. However, the FDA maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the bacteria, which could signal the presence of E. coli and other pathogens that can cause a serious risk to human health. E. coli is noted to do anything from causing mild, brief diarrhea to severe, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. In late May, we reported on a giant, 1.9 million-bottle recall of Fiji Water. That recall was also a Class III. Though Berkeley Springs' isn't instructing buyers on how to comply with the recall, we recommend that you dispose of your water immediately. The CDC advises that if you think your bottled water made you sick, to contact your health department to report it.
