‘Greenwashed’ Dapple Baby Products Contain Synthetic Ingredients, Class Action Suit Claims

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that certain Dapple Baby products are falsely “greenwashed” to give consumers the impression that the soaps, detergents and cleaners are safer and more natural than they are, even though the items contain several synthetic ingredients. 

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The 34-page false advertising lawsuit claims that defendant Eleeo Brands’ advertising and labeling for Dapple Baby products is deceptively geared toward environmentally conscious parents and families in search of “the safest possible options for their newborns.” Per the suit, the alleged greenwashing of the Dapple Baby products at issue, in particular label depictions of green-leaf imagery and claims that they are “Powered by Plants,” “Baby Friendly,” and “Hypoallergenic,” is meant to create the impression that the items contain only plant-based ingredients, and generally convey that the products are minimally processed and natural.

However, the class action lawsuit says that the Dapple Baby products listed below contain synthetic, industrially processed ingredients and known skin irritants:

• -Bottle & Dish Soap Fragrance Free;
• -Bottle & Dish Soap Lavender;
• -Bottle & Dish Soap Fresh Citrus;
• -Bottle & Dish Soap Mango Melon;
• -Bottle & Dish Soap Refill Fragrance Free;
• -Bottle & Dish Soap Refill Lavender;
• -Foaming Bottle & Dish Spray;
• -Dishwasher Detergent Packs;
• -All Purpose Cleaning Wipes;
• -On The Go All Purpose Wipes;
• -All Purpose Cleaner Fragrance Free;
• -All Purpose Cleaner Lavender;
• -Baby Laundry Detergent Fragrance Free;
• -Baby Laundry Detergent Lavender;
• -Stain Remover;
• -Pacifier Wipes;
• -Foaming Hand Soap;
• -Breast Pump Wipes; and
• -Breast Pump Soap.

“While the word ‘natural’ may not appear verbatim,” the class action lawsuit says, “these plant-based claims serve as a direct proxy for naturalness, creating an expectation that the Products are free from synthetic or heavily processed substances.”

The suit states that consumers place a higher value on plant-based products because they perceive them as more environmentally friendly, a practical way to attain “health and wellness,” and a way to financially support companies that share their values. Many manufacturers have “scrambled” to develop ostensible plant-based products to capitalize on consumer interest, the suit adds.

According to the complaint, Dapple Baby’s claims are not based in reality. The filing charges that the products are not “honestly” labeled and in fact contain a plethora of synthetic ingredients, such as citric acid, sodium citrate, glycerin and xanthan gum, among others.

For example, the filing says that xanthan gum is a synthetic ingredient that the Food and Drug Administration has previously warned is linked to illness and death in infants. Another ingredient, citric acid, is not the kind found naturally in citrus fruit but is rather synthetically produced by fermenting the mold Aspergillus niger and is chemically extracted using high temperatures and industrial solvents, the lawsuit explains.

To make matters worse, the Dapple Baby products also contain sodium benzoate, a synthetic preservative linked to “aberrations” in human chromosomes and DNA, the case continues. Additionally, the products contain ingredients that are “established contact allergen[s],” such as sodium benzoate, and include one ingredient, benzisothiazolinone, that is banned in personal care products in Europe.

Per the filing, the plaintiffs and proposed class members have no “personal knowledge” of the chemical processes and ingredients used to make the Dapple Baby products and therefore rely on the greenwashed claims made by the defendant on product packaging and in advertising materials. Consumers would not have purchased Dapple Baby detergents and cleaners for the same price had they known they were not the “premium, plant-derived” products advertised, the suit contends.

The Dapple Baby class action lawsuit seeks to cover all consumers who purchased any of the products listed on this page within the applicable statute of limitations period in the United States.

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