Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing the e-commerce and grocery giant of misleading consumers by marketing seafood products with environmental claims that allegedly overstated their sustainability.
Amazon Accused of Greenwashing Seafood Products
The lawsuit, filed Friday in federal court in Seattle, challenges seafood labels and marketing language including "dolphin safe," "responsibly sourced," "sustainable," "wild caught" and "MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood," Reuters reported.
The plaintiffs argue that the claims led consumers to believe Amazon’s seafood products caused little harm to oceans and the broader environment. However, they alleged that the sustainability representations were either unsupported or materially misleading.
"Amazon nevertheless markets the greenwashed seafood products using broad sustainability messaging without providing disclosures necessary to prevent consumer deception," the complaint said.
The lawsuit claims that seafood supply chains can be difficult to verify because many fishing vessels are not publicly tracked. Some vessels may also obscure their locations by disabling electronic tracking systems known as transponders, according to the complaint.
The plaintiffs further alleged that at least one-fifth of imported wild-caught seafood is not responsibly or sustainably sourced.
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Lawsuit Targets Tuna, Salmon and Major Seafood Brands
The proposed class action covers dozens of seafood products, including tuna and salmon sold under brands such as Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, StarKist and Amazon’s 365 by Whole Foods Market.
The plaintiffs, led by Madeleine Rogow of Los Angeles and Adam Sorkin of Chicago, said they would not have purchased the products or would have paid less if Amazon had disclosed what they described as the seafood’s "true sustainable nature."
They are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as restitution for consumers across the U.S., over alleged violations of Washington’s consumer protection laws.
Amazon did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
Amazon’s Grocery Business Faces New Legal Scrutiny
Amazon is the second-largest grocery retailer in the U.S., with more than $150 billion in gross grocery sales in 2025, CEO Andy Jassy said during an April 29 earnings call.
The company regularly faces lawsuits involving products sold on its platform, including disputes involving third-party sellers.
The parent companies of Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist are not defendants in the lawsuit.
The allegations have not been proven and the court has not determined whether Amazon is liable.
Price Action: Amazon shares closed Friday at $271.58, up 15.32% and slipped 0.46% to $270.32 in after-hours trading, according to Benzinga Pro.
Benzinga Edge Rankings place Amazon in the 95th percentile for Growth, even as the stock maintains a negative price trend across the short, medium and long-term periods.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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