Latest news with #AshleyWright
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Amazon.com is sued over alleged sale of contaminated rice
HighlightsConsumers have filed a proposed class action lawsuit against Amazon over the sale of 18 types of rice contaminated with arsenic and other heavy metals, including products from Ben's Original and Whole Foods' 365 brand. The lawsuit follows a study by Healthy Babies, Bright Futures that revealed arsenic in all tested rice samples, with 28% exceeding U.S. Food and Drug Administration limits for infant rice cereal, raising concerns about the health risks to children. Plaintiffs in the case claim they would not have purchased contaminated rice products if they had been aware of the dangers, seeking unspecified damages of at least $5 million for violations of Washington state consumer protection laws. By Jonathan Stempel - was sued on Friday by consumers over its alleged sale of a wide variety of rice contaminated by arsenic and other "heavy metals." The proposed class action in Seattle federal court covers 18 types of rice sold through Amazon, including from familiar brands such as Ben's Original and Amazon-owned Whole Foods' 365. "Amazon sold these rice products with alarmingly high levels of heavy metals to an intended consumer audience that includes children, with no warning whatsoever about the dangers of heavy metals," the complaint said. The lawsuit followed a study last week by Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, a nonprofit that focuses on babies' exposure to toxic chemicals. That study found arsenic in all 145 rice samples purchased nationwide, with 28% exceeding a U.S. Food and Drug Administration limit for infant rice cereal. It also found cadmium in all but one sample, and lead and mercury in more than one-third of tested samples. Amazon, based in Seattle, had no immediate comment. Exposure to heavy metals has been associated with negative health effects such as nervous system problems, immune system suppression and kidney damage, and autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in young children. The 18 rice products include two from Ben's Original and three with the 365 label. Plaintiffs Ashley Wright and Merriman Blum said they would not have bought or would have paid less for Iberia Basmati 100% Aged Original rice, one of the products, if they knew the rice was contaminated or Amazon never tested it for heavy metals. Friday's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages of at least $5 million for Amazon's alleged violations of Washington state consumer protection laws. Makers of baby food and dark chocolate have also faced many consumer lawsuits over the alleged presence of heavy metals. The case is Wright et al v Inc, U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, No. 25-00977.
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Amazon.com sued over alleged sale of rice containing arsenic and heavy metals.
sued over alleged sale of rice containing arsenic and heavy metals. Show Caption Hide Caption Amazon faces lawsuit as customers report disappearing refunds after returns Customers allege that Amazon reversed their refunds for returned products, leading to a lawsuit that challenges the company's advanced refund policy. Scripps News was sued on May 23 by consumers over its alleged sale of a wide variety of rice contaminated by arsenic and other "heavy metals." The proposed class action in Seattle federal court covers 18 types of rice sold through Amazon, including from familiar brands such as Ben's Original and Amazon-owned Whole Foods' 365. "Amazon sold these rice products with alarmingly high levels of heavy metals to an intended consumer audience that includes children, with no warning whatsoever about the dangers of heavy metals," the complaint said. The lawsuit followed a study last week by Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, a nonprofit that focuses on babies' exposure to toxic chemicals. That study found arsenic in all 145 rice samples purchased nationwide, with 28% exceeding a U.S. Food and Drug Administration limit for infant rice cereal. It also found cadmium in all but one sample, and lead and mercury in more than one-third of tested samples. Amazon, based in Seattle, had no immediate comment. Exposure to heavy metals has been associated with negative health effects such as nervous system problems, immune system suppression, kidney damage, autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in young children. The 18 rice products include two from Ben's Original and three with the 365 label. Plaintiffs Ashley Wright and Merriman Blum said they would not have bought or would have paid less for Iberia Basmati 100% Aged Original rice, one of the products, if they knew the rice was contaminated or that Amazon had never tested it for heavy metals. Friday's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages of at least $5 million for Amazon's alleged violations of Washington state consumer protection laws. Makers of baby food and dark chocolate have also faced many consumer lawsuits over the alleged presence of heavy metals. The case is Wright et al v Inc, U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, No. 25-00977.
CNBC
23-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Amazon.com is sued over alleged sale of contaminated rice
was sued on Friday by consumers over its alleged sale of a wide variety of rice contaminated by arsenic and other "heavy metals." The proposed class action in Seattle federal court covers 18 types of rice sold through Amazon, including from familiar brands such as Ben's Original and Amazon-owned Whole Foods' 365. "Amazon sold these rice products with alarmingly high levels of heavy metals to an intended consumer audience that includes children, with no warning whatsoever about the dangers of heavy metals," the complaint said. The lawsuit followed a study last week by Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, a nonprofit that focuses on babies' exposure to toxic chemicals. That study found arsenic in all 145 rice samples purchased nationwide, with 28% exceeding a U.S. Food and Drug Administration limit for infant rice cereal. It also found cadmium in all but one sample, and lead and mercury in more than one-third of tested samples. Amazon, based in Seattle, had no immediate comment. Exposure to heavy metals has been associated with negative health effects such as nervous system problems, immune system suppression and kidney damage, and autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in young children. The 18 rice products include two from Ben's Original and three with the 365 label. Plaintiffs Ashley Wright and Merriman Blum said they would not have bought or would have paid less for Iberia Basmati 100% Aged Original rice, one of the products, if they knew the rice was contaminated or Amazon never tested it for heavy metals. Friday's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages of at least $5 million for Amazon's alleged violations of Washington state consumer protection laws. Makers of baby food and dark chocolate have also faced many consumer lawsuits over the alleged presence of heavy metals. The case is Wright et al v Inc, U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, No. 25-00977.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Amazon hit With lawsuit over allegedly toxic rice containing toxic metals like arsenic, mercury
A new class-action lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court alleges Amazon sold rice products containing toxic heavy metals—including lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury—without disclosing their presence to consumers. The complaint, filed by plaintiffs Ashley Wright and Merriman Blum, accuses the Seattle-based e-commerce giant of failing to warn buyers that several rice products sold on its marketplace contain substances known to pose significant health risks. Both plaintiffs claim they would not have purchased the rice had they known it contained such contaminants. According to the lawsuit, independent testing commissioned by the nonprofit Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF) found heavy metals in every rice product tested, including varieties available on Amazon such as Iberia Basmati rice and 365 Whole Foods Arborio White Rice. More than one-quarter of the rice samples reportedly exceeded the FDA's limit for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal. No such limit exists for general rice consumption. 'There are no known safe levels of heavy metals,' the complaint states, citing findings from federal agencies and medical experts that link even low-level exposure to cancer, developmental delays, and IQ loss in children. Plaintiffs allege Amazon violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act and committed fraudulent concealment by failing to inform consumers on product labels or online descriptions that the rice could contain toxic elements. The suit argues that Amazon either failed to test its products for heavy metals or chose not to disclose the results, despite having full control over the sale, marketing, and presentation of both its own and third-party rice products. The lawsuit also highlights the disproportionate impact of heavy metals in rice on communities for whom rice is a staple food, including Hispanic, Latino and Asian American families. A community survey included in the complaint found that many families eat rice multiple times per day, including serving it to infants. Wright and Blum, who both purchased Iberia Basmati rice for their households—including children—between 2020 and 2025, are seeking class-action status and are asking for an injunction requiring Amazon to disclose the presence of heavy metals, implement product testing, and reimburse consumers. KIRO 7 News has reached out to Amazon for comment.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) Faces Lawsuit Over Claims it Sold Contaminated Rice
Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is facing a lawsuit filed by consumers who claim the company sold various rice products tainted with arsenic and other heavy metals. The proposed class action, filed in federal court in Seattle, targets 18 different rice varieties sold through Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), including well-known brands like Ben's Original and Whole Foods' 365, which is owned by the company. The complaint stated the following: "Amazon sold these rice products with alarmingly high levels of heavy metals to an intended consumer audience that includes children, with no warning whatsoever about the dangers of heavy metals." The legal action follows a recent study by the nonprofit Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, which found traces of arsenic in all 145 rice samples tested across the US. According to the study, 28% of those samples exceeded the FDA's arsenic limit for infant rice cereal. Cadmium was found in nearly all the samples, while lead and mercury appeared in more than one-third. Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has yet to issue a statement regarding the lawsuit. The plaintiffs, Ashley Wright and Merriman Blum, claim they would have avoided purchasing Iberia Basmati 100% Aged Original rice—or paid less for it—had they known it contained harmful metals or had not been properly tested by Amazon. The lawsuit seeks at least $5 million in damages, citing violations of consumer protection laws in Washington state. Similar lawsuits have previously targeted makers of baby food and dark chocolate for the presence of heavy metals. The case is filed under Wright et al v Inc, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, No. 25-00977. AMZN is down by nearly 9% since the start of 2025. While we acknowledge the potential of AMZN to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AMZN and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ MORE: and Disclosure. None.
