Walmart Misrepresents Spring Valley Omega-3 Fish Oil Supplements’ Heart Health Benefits, Class Action Says

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A proposed class action lawsuit claims Walmart has misled consumers about the heart health benefits of its Spring Valley Omega-3 fish oil supplements.

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According to the 39-page lawsuit, the dietary supplements’ front labels prominently feature a heart symbol, the phrase “Heart Health,” and a statement that reads, “Fish Oil is a source of Omega-3 fatty acids that support heart health.” Taken together, these representations lead reasonable consumers to believe that the supplements’ omega-3s benefit cardiovascular health, the suit says.

However, the case alleges that these label claims are misleading because there is “no conclusive research” to show that omega-3s reduce the risk of heart disease.

The complaint contends that Walmart, despite an abundance of scientific studies—including by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health—that demonstrate little to no evidence of a “protective effect” of omega-3 supplements against cardiovascular disease, continues to misrepresent the products in order to exploit consumers’ “longstanding” perception that fish oil supplements support heart health.

As the filing tells it, the front-label representations are particularly misleading because reasonable consumers believe there must be at least some definitive evidence of cardiovascular benefits before a company like Walmart is allowed to advertise such a health claim on their products.

Per the lawsuit, the implied health claims on the labels of the Walmart fish oil supplements have not been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the products must, therefore, bear a qualifying disclaimer that reads, “[s]upportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.”

The suit argues that “the fact that the FDA requires such a disclaimer shows that reasonable consumers can be misled about the level of scientific support that exists for a health claim.”

The specific products mentioned in the complaint include:

• Spring Valley Omega-3 Fish Oil softgels, Heart Health Dietary Supplement, 1000 mg - 60 count;
• Spring Valley Proactive Support Omega-3 Mini from Fish Oil Dietary Supplement, 1000 mg - 120 count;
• Spring Valley Omega-3 Fish Oil for Heart and Brain Health, Dietary Supplement softgels, 1000 mg - 60 count;
• Spring Valley Maximum Care Omega-3 from Fish Oil, Eye Brain Bone & Heart Health Dietary Supplement softgels, 2000 mg - 120 count;
• Spring Valley Fish Oil Omega-3 General & Heart Health Dietary Supplement softgels, 500 mg - 60, 120 and 180 count;
• Spring Valley Proactive Support Omega-3 from Fish Oil, Heart General & Brain Health Dietary Supplement softgels, 1000 mg - 120 count;
• Spring Valley Omega-3 Fish Oil softgels, 1000 mg - 180 count;
• Spring Valley Omega-3 Fish Oil Brain & Heart Health Dietary Supplement softgels, 2000 mg - 180 count; and
• Spring Valley Omega-3 Natural Lemon Flavor Dietary Supplement Twin Pack, 1000 mg - 360 count.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone in California who purchased any of the products listed on this page within the applicable statute of limitations period.

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