Unilever Must Face Vaseline ‘Hypoallergenic’ Deception Lawsuit

Unilever United States Inc. failed to convince a federal judge to toss a proposed class action alleging the company deceptively advertised Vaseline jelly as hypoallergenic when it contained fragrance, a common allergen.

The complaint plausibly alleged that reasonable consumers would interpret the front-label “hypoallergenic” statement as meaning the product is specifically formulated to be free from common allergens, the US District Court for the Eastern District of California said Wednesday.

Named plaintiff Lacey Timmins said she bought Vaseline Baby Healing Jelly to help with her son’s eczema and diaper rash because of the hypoallergenic label. She later found that fragrance ...