Amazon is facing a proposed class action in the US over allegations that it misrepresented the environmental sustainability of seafood sold on its platform.
The complaint was filed by Hagens Berman in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington.
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The lawsuit specifically challenges Amazon’s use of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, which it describes as operating on a “pay-for-play” basis.
According to the filing, Amazon used descriptions such as “dolphin safe”, “sustainable”, “responsibly sourced”, “traceable”, and “MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood” for seafood products sold through its platform.
The products cited include Amazon’s 365 by Whole Foods Market line and third-party brands Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist.
The lawsuit also alleges these statements gave consumers the impression that Amazon’s seafood sourcing causes little harm to oceans and marine ecosystems.
It says that impression was either not supported by evidence or, in some cases, was factually incorrect.
In addition, the complaint also alleges that products carrying the certification, or the suppliers linked to them, are not necessarily following genuinely sustainable practices.
The filing said: “Amazon nevertheless markets the greenwashed seafood products using broad sustainability messaging without providing disclosures necessary to prevent consumer deception.”
The lawsuit further notes that MSC has acknowledged that “greenwashing” can include environmental claims that are misleading or unclear.
Hagens Berman argues that Amazon’s conduct breaches the US Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides, which caution against unqualified environmental benefit claims and state that certifications and seals can imply broader environmental benefits than may be accurate.
The lawsuit also alleges Amazon does not tell consumers that more than 76%, by its own count, of fishing vessels operate outside public tracking systems and often turn off their transponders.
It says traceability alone does not mean a product is sustainably sourced.
These allegations are presented in the complaint as breaches of Washington state consumer protection law relating to misrepresentation and concealment.
The suit is seeking reimbursement for consumers who say they would not have bought the seafood products if they had known the sustainability claims were, as alleged, inaccurate.
It also seeks an injunction to stop Amazon from continuing the practices set out in the complaint.
The filing refers to Amazon public materials in which the company says that “sustainability isn’t a separate initiative – it’s core to how Amazon operates”.
Retail Insight Network has approached Amazon for a response.
