"Natural" label lawsuits: what they say about soap and toothpaste marketing
"Natural" labels are words like "natural" or "naturally sourced" that companies put on soap, toothpaste and other personal care products. Lawsuits claim that some of these labels misled shoppers, either because the products contained synthetic ingredients or because of how they were made. These are allegations, and the companies may dispute them. This page lists each lawsuit, what it alleges, and where it stands.
Open for claims now
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Claims closed
The deadline to file a claim has passed for these settlements.
- Tom's of Maine Tom's Toothpaste settlementTom's of Maine alledgedly marketed its toothpaste as "naturally sourced" and "safe" while its Sanford, ME factory had ongoing bacterial contamination, per an FDA warning letter.
What is "natural" labeling on personal care products?
Companies use words like "natural," "naturally sourced" or "made with natural ingredients" because many shoppers look for products they see as simpler or closer to plants and minerals. These words often appear on soap, deodorant, shampoo and toothpaste.
There is no single legal definition of "natural" for these products. For food, the FDA says on its page about the use of the term "natural" on food labels that it has not formally defined the word, though it has a long-standing policy on how it views it. The FTC, which polices misleading advertising, says on its truth in advertising page that ads must be truthful and not misleading.
Because the word has no fixed meaning, lawsuits about it usually argue over what an ordinary shopper would expect. The lawsuits listed here make claims like these.
The Dr. Squatch natural labeling case says Dr. Squatch labeled soaps and personal care products as natural while they contained synthetic ingredients.
The Tom's of Maine toothpaste case says Tom's of Maine marketed its toothpaste as "naturally sourced" and "good for you" while, according to the lawsuit, an FDA warning letter described bacterial contamination problems at its Sanford, Maine factory.
Products named in these lawsuits
Being on this list means a lawsuit names the product. It does not mean a court has found anything wrong with it.
- Dr. Squatch soaps and personal care products
- Tom's of Maine toothpaste