ANALYSIS: How Natural Is ‘Natural’? Consumer Suits Seek Clarity

Consumers filed a class action lawsuit in the Northern District of California on Nov. 12 claiming that Honey Pot Co LLC misled consumers by claiming that its menstrual-related products were “plant-based” and “natural.” Some of the ingredients are actually synthetic and therefore the marketing is misleading under New York and California’s unfair, deceptive, or abusive business practices (UDAP) statutes, the complaint alleges.

The Honey Pot lawsuit is the latest in a string of consumer-initiated litigation challenging corporate ads that tout natural or plant-based products. There’s not a whole lot of guidance on what is or what isn’t “natural” for marketing ...