Stanley cups maker facing multiple lawsuits over presence of lead in tumblers
Company admitted in January that viral products contain ‘some lead’ but are safe
Shoppers rush to grab Stanley Valentine's cups at Target
Target shoppers run to get their hands on a special Valentine's Day edition of a special 40-ounce Stanley tumbler in Arizona. (Credit: @victoria_robino_26/LIFESTYLOGY /TMX)
The company behind the viral Stanley tumblers is now facing multiple lawsuits from consumers over the presence of lead in its products, with one alleging that it marketed them as "safe" for years but failed to "disclose its use of lead in manufacturing" until just last month.
As of Wednesday, Seattle-based Pacific Market International is facing lawsuits filed in courts in California, Nevada and Washington state, according to Fox40. It said on its website in January that their products contain a sealing material that uses "some lead" but that no lead touches any surface of any Stanley product and the chemical does not come into contact with any beverage placed inside.
"This case arises from PMI Pacific Market International, LLC ('PMI)’s admission in January 2024 that its popular Stanley cups contain lead. PMI had previously failed to disclose that information – presumably because doing so would have hurt PMI’s bottom line," reads part of a lawsuit filed on behalf of four women in California who are suing the company.
"PMI has marketed its products to the public for years as a safe, practical item especially suitable for young women. But PMI did not disclose its use of lead in manufacturing until January 2024," adds the lawsuit, which was filed on Feb. 1 and obtained by the website ClassAction.org. "Rather, it advertises its cups as being ‘BPA-free’ and made of stainless steel while omitting another key ingredient used in its vacuum seal: lead."
STANLEY PRODUCTS CONTAIN ‘SOME LEAD,’ COMPANY SAYS AS INSULATED STEEL TUMBLERS SURGE IN POPULARITY
Stanley tumblers are displayed on a shelf at a Dick's Sporting Goods store on Feb. 2, 2024, in Daly City, California. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
The lawsuit, which is seeking punitive damages and a "permanent injunction requiring PMI to disclose any lead or other toxins in its products in California," continues by saying, "Instead of allowing consumers to decide for themselves and their families whether to accept any risks associated with using a lead-containing drinking cup, PMI kept customers in the dark so as not to interfere with its bonanza of influencer-driven sales, especially sales to young women."
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A shopper passes empty shelves once stocked with Stanley insulated steel tumblers at a Target store on Jan. 9, in Canoga Park, California. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via / Getty Images)
On its website, PMI says "At Stanley, one of the key features of our products is our vacuum insulation technology, which provides consumers with drinkware that keeps beverages at the ideal temperature.
"Our manufacturing process currently employs the use of an industry standard pellet to seal the vacuum insulation at the base of our products; the sealing material includes some lead," the company adds. "Once sealed, this area is covered with a durable stainless steel layer, making it inaccessible to consumers."
The maker of tumblers says, "Rest assured that no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer nor the contents of the product." (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
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"Rest assured that no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer nor the contents of the product," it also says, noting, "Stanley assures that its products meet all U.S. regulatory requirements, including Prop65."
Fox Business’ Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.