Fetch for Pets, LLC has a line of Martha Stewart products intended for dogs, cats, and their households. The complaint charges the company with “deceptive and misleading business practices” in marketing and selling the products as “natural,” because, it claims, they contain non-natural, synthetic ingredients.
The class for this action is all consumers who bought the products in the US during the applicable statute of limitations. A New York Subclass has also been defined.
These are the products at issue:
- Martha Stewart Natural Conditioner for All Dogs Moisturizing Vanilla Almond
- Martha Stewart Natural Shampoo for All Dogs Moisturizing Vanilla Almond
- Martha Stewart Natural Oatmeal & Aloe Dog Shampoo
- Martha Stewart Natural Oatmeal & Aloe Dog Conditioner
- Martha Stewart Natural Itch Relief Lavender Mist Dog Shampoo
- Martha Stewart Natural Itch Relief Lavender Mist Dog Conditioner
- Martha Stewart Natural 2-in-1 Grapefruit Puppy Shampoo & Conditioner
- Martha Stewart Natural Nose & Paw Dog Lotion
- Martha Stewart Natural Itch Relief Lavender Mint Scent Dog Wipes
- Martha Stewart Natural All[-]Purpose Oatmeal & Aloe Scent Dog Wipes
- Martha Stewart Natural Tearless Grapefruit Scent Puppy Wipes
- Martha Stewart Natural Lemongrass Verbena Scent Cat Wipes
- Martha Stewart Oxygenated Carpet Powder with Baking Soda Odor Neutralizer
- Martha Stewart Oxygenated Odor Eliminator with Baking Soda
- Martha Stewart Oxygenated Urine Remover with Baking Soda
- Martha Stewart Oxygenated Surface Spray with Baking Soda
Consumers nowadays prefer to use products that are “natural” so that they do not have harsh or potentially harmful ingredients. Consumers are willing to pay more for such products; in fact, the complaint claims they do pay a premium for the Martha Stewart “natural” products.
A number of pages in the complaint are given over to images of the products, with arrows pointing to the word “Natural” prominently featured on the front of the products above the name of the product—for example, “Natural Conditioner for All Dogs” or “Natural Shampoo for All Dogs.”
Below each image is a list of the synthetic ingredients the product contains—for example, for the above conditioner, “Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcelluslose, DMDM Hydantoin.” Other synthetic ingredients include stearic acid, cetyl alcohol, tocopheryl acetate, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, butylene glycol, polysorbate 20, sodium bicarbonate, silica, sodium sulfate, and methylisothiazolinone.”
The complaint then reviews each of these ingredients and explains what they are. For example, “DMDM Hydantoin is a synthetic antimicrobial formaldehyde releaser preservative.”
The complaint says, “Whether [Fetch for Pets]’s labeling of the Products as ‘natural’ is deceptive is judged by whether it would deceive or mislead a reasonable person.” It then reviews the US Department of Agriculture’s Guidance Decision Tree for determining whether a substance is natural or synthetic, as well as definitions from Congress.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
Fetch for Pets “Natural” Grooming and Cleaning Products Complaint
March 4, 2021
Fetch for Pets, LLC has a line of Martha Stewart products intended for dogs, cats, and their households. The complaint charges the company with “deceptive and misleading business practices” in marketing and selling the products as “natural,” because, it claims, they contain non-natural, synthetic ingredients.
Fetch for Pets “Natural” Grooming and Cleaning Products ComplaintCase Event History
Fetch for Pets “Natural” Grooming and Cleaning Products Complaint
March 4, 2021
Fetch for Pets, LLC has a line of Martha Stewart products intended for dogs, cats, and their households. The complaint charges the company with “deceptive and misleading business practices” in marketing and selling the products as “natural,” because, it claims, they contain non-natural, synthetic ingredients.
Fetch for Pets “Natural” Grooming and Cleaning Products Complaint