Procter & Gamble is facing a consumer class action suit in Massachusetts federal court over allegedly misleading environmental claims about its Charmin and Puffs paper products. The plaintiff filed the suit Wednesday and claim P&G has made false environmental stewardship claims with its “Keep Forests as Forests” campaign while engaging in harmful industrial logging practices in Canadian forests.
Takeaway: “Greenwashing’ cases are on the rise in the food, beverage and consumer goods sectors, and they are part of a broader trend of cases accusing companies of misleading consumers about the sustainability of products and business practices. In one instance, milk company Fairlife and its parent company, Coca-Cola, were accused in February of tolerating animal cruelty in their supply chain and misrepresenting non-recyclable packaging as recyclable. In January, Igloo and CamelBak were sued in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California for allegedly misrepresenting the biodegradability and recycled content of their coolers and water bottles.