TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) — Sunscreen sold by Walmart is destroying the ocean's coral reef, a novel new class action lawsuit alleges.
Nakiah Alvarado, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed a complaint Nov. 13 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida against Walmart Inc., alleging false and misleading advertising, fraud and other claims.
Alvarado alleges in her class action that Walmart deceptively labels its sunscreen as "Reef Friendly" when it contains chemicals that are harmful to coral reefs. Specifically, Alvarado alleges Walmart's sunscreen includes Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate and Octocrylene as inactive ingredients and that Walmart fails to include on the labeling that those ingredients are harmful to reefs.
She claims that Walmart uses the false and misleading representations about its sunscreen to sell the product at a premium price and that its claim of the product being "Reef Friendly" violates federal and state laws.
Alvarado and the class seek monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. They are represented by William Wright of The Wright Law Office PA in West Palm Beach and Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PA in Great Neck, New York.
Sheehan is a prolific class action-filer known for his theories of consumer deception that have sometimes angered judges.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida case number 8:23-CV-02592-SDM-SPF