Consumers Sue Amazon for Greenwashing Seafood Sustainability Claims

Consumers filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against Amazon.com Inc. on July 31, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The lawsuit alleges the retailer engaged in greenwashing by misrepresenting the environmental benefits of seafood sold on its platform, including its 365 by Whole Foods Market brand and third-party labels like Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, and StarKist.

Plaintiffs argue that terms such as "dolphin safe," "responsibly sourced," and "MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood" are materially false. The complaint asserts that these claims mislead shoppers into believing the sourcing causes minimal ecological harm, while in reality, many fishing vessels disable transponders to obscure their locations. The suit specifically claims that over 76% of fishing vessels operate outside public tracking systems and that at least one-fifth of imported wild-caught seafood is not sustainably sourced.

Led by the law firm Hagens Berman, the action alleges violations of Washington consumer protection laws and the Federal Trade Commission's Green Guides. The lawsuit describes the Marine Stewardship Council certification as a "pay-for-play" model and seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, and an injunction to stop the marketing practices. The parent companies of the third-party seafood brands are not named as defendants in the suit.