Amazon sued over 'sustainable' seafood claims: What consumers allege

The proposed lawsuit accuses Amazon of greenwashing by using labels such as 'responsibly sourced' and 'sustainable' on seafood products. Here's what the complaint says

  Amazon is facing a class action in the United States (US) after consumers accused the e-commerce giant of misleading shoppers with sustainability claims on seafood products sold through its platform.

The lawsuit alleges that Amazon marketed seafood as environmentally responsible even though the claims were either unsubstantiated or misleading, raising fresh questions about "greenwashing" in food retail.

 

Why has Amazon been sued?

 

The proposed class action was filed in a federal court in Seattle by plaintiffs led by Madeleine Rogow of Los Angeles and Adam Sorkin of Chicago. They allege that Amazon misrepresented the environmental credentials of seafood sold on its platform by using labels and descriptions that suggested the products were sustainably sourced.

   

According to the complaint, the seafood carried claims such as "dolphin safe", "responsibly sourced", "sustainable", "wild caught", and "MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood". The plaintiffs argue these labels led consumers to believe the products were sourced with minimal harm to oceans and marine ecosystems, even though Amazon allegedly failed to provide sufficient evidence or disclosures to substantiate those claims.

 

It also alleges that the company's marketing practices violate the US Federal Trade Commission's Green Guides, which caution businesses against making unqualified environmental benefit claims and note that environmental certifications or seals can lead consumers to believe a product offers broad environmental benefits.

 

According to the complaint:

• Many fishing vessels are not publicly tracked
• Some vessels reportedly switch off electronic transponders, making it difficult to verify where seafood is caught
• An estimated one-fifth of imported wild-caught seafood is allegedly not responsibly or sustainably sourced

 

The plaintiffs argue that despite these concerns, Amazon continued to promote seafood using broad sustainability messaging, and consumers were therefore unable to accurately assess the environmental claims associated with the products they purchased.

 

Which products are covered?

 

The complaint covers dozens of seafood products, including tuna, salmon, and other fish sold under seafood brands such as Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, and StarKist, as well as Amazon's 365 by Whole Foods Market private-label brand.

 

However, the lawsuit is not directed at the seafood brands. Instead, it focuses on Amazon's marketing and advertising practices, alleging that the company misled consumers through the sustainability claims displayed on its platform.

 

What are the consumers seeking?

 

The plaintiffs argue that they would either not have bought the seafood products or would have paid less for them if they had known the sustainability claims were allegedly misleading.

 

They are seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages, and restitution for consumers across the United States under Washington state's consumer protection laws.

 

Amazon had not responded publicly to the allegations at the time the lawsuit was reported.

 

The lawsuit comes as consumers increasingly seek environmentally responsible products and are often willing to pay more for goods marketed as sustainable. As a result, retailers face greater scrutiny to ensure that environmental claims are transparent, accurate, and backed by credible evidence.