Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against the Makers of Coppertone Sunscreen for False Advertising

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Merck, the maker of Coppertone Sunscreen alleging that Coppertone has misled consumers into believing that that all of the sun’s harmful rays are blocked by its sunscreen , including for products offering  “all day protection,” when in actuality they do not.

In December of last year, the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureau (NAD) recommended that Merck stop advertising that Coppertone Sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher “Protects across 100% of the UVA UVB spectrum.”    Although NAD acknowledged that Coppertone sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher offers some skin protection for all wavelengths across the UVA UVB spectrum,  NAD found that the that the advertisement conveyed a message that was false or misleading.  NAD expressed concerned that the advertising was misleading and conveyed the message that Coppertone’s sunscreens provide 100 percent protection across 100 percent of the spectrum, which was a representation  not supported by the evidence.

According to NAD, Merck   “disagrees with the NAD’s view about other conveyed messages,” but  ” will take the NAD’s view into consideration in its advertising going forward.  Merck Consumer Care respects the NAD’s program of self-initiated inquiries and supports the self-regulatory process.”

The class action has been filed in the [state] [state/federal] court and is brought on behalf of consumers purchasing the ….,…, … products between [date] and [date].

If you or someone you know feels they have been misled by the deceptive labeling of a product, please notify Khorrami, LLP for a confidential evaluation of your rights.