Business Beat: Dr. Bronner’s Brand Sues Over Organic Label Claims
The Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps brand has filed a lawsuit against 10 high-profile natural and organic personal care companies, alleging that those companies have made misleading certified-organic claims on their labels. Among those companies listed in the suit are market leaders Hain Celestial, Kiss My Face, and Nature’s Gate, as well as two certification companies, Ecocert and U.S.-certifier Oasis.
In a press release, David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, stated, “We have been deeply disappointed and frustrated by companies in the natural personal care space who have been screwing over organic consumers, engaging in misleading organic branding and label call-outs on products that were not natural in the first place, let alone, organic.”
In response to the lawsuit, Hain Celestial, Kiss My Face, and Nature’s Gate issued a joint press statement: “Hain Celestial, Kiss My Face, and Nature’s Gate strongly support the need for clear and verifiable standards for the use of the term organic in personal care products. Currently, there are several competing standards regarding the use of organic materials in personal care products, none of which have been adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and incorporated into its National Organic Program. The statements and claims advanced by Mr. David Bronner appear to be more about the lack of action by the government to settle the standards issue than about the products he mentions. We are confident that the allegations about our companies’ products will be proven to be without merit.”
Added Bob MacLeod, CEO of Kiss My Face, “We believe that collaboration and an open dialogue among industry participants, consumers, and regulators, not litigation, is the best approach to developing meaningful organic personal care product standards. This process will result in much-needed clarity and the best available products for consumers.”
Currently, certain states such as California have their own certified-organic guidelines. On the federal level, the USDA certified-organic seal can be used on personal care packaging if a product is certified by a USDA-approved agency.