The lawsuit, filed Friday in federal court in Seattle, challenges labels and descriptions including “dolphin safe,” “responsibly sourced,” “sustainable,” “wild caught” and “MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood.”
The consumers argue that such claims gave shoppers the impression that the seafood was sourced in ways that caused minimal harm to oceans and the environment.
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According to the complaint, the claims are misleading because most fishing vessels are not publicly tracked, while some vessels can conceal their locations by disabling electronic tracking devices known as transponders.
The plaintiffs also cited estimates that at least one-fifth of imported wild-caught seafood is not responsibly or sustainably sourced.
“Amazon nevertheless markets the greenwashed seafood products using broad sustainability messaging without providing disclosures necessary to prevent consumer deception,” the complaint said.
The case targets dozens of tuna, salmon and other seafood products sold under brands including Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, StarKist and Amazon’s own 365 by Whole Foods Market line.
Plaintiffs Madeleine Rogow of Los Angeles and Adam Sorkin of Chicago said they would either not have purchased the products or would have paid less for them had Amazon disclosed what they described as the seafood’s “true sustainable nature.”
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages as well as restitution for consumers in the United States, alleging violations of Washington state consumer protection laws.
The parent companies of Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist — Taiwan’s FCF, Thailand’s Thai Union Group and South Korea’s Dongwon Industries — were not named as defendants.
Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The case adds to a growing series of legal challenges involving products sold through Amazon’s platform, including merchandise offered by independent sellers.
