Stanley Tumbler Maker Defeats False Ad Lawsuits Over Lead Use

Stanley-brand thermal cup maker Pacific Market International beat three class action lawsuits after a federal court ruled the suits failed to establish a risk of harm from lead sealed inside the base of the company’s once-viral tumblers.

“Without additional factual support that demonstrates a specific and plausible risk of harm from the lead in Stanley cups, the mere presence of lead could not be material to a reasonable consumer,” Judge Tana Lin said for the US District Court for the Western District of Washington in an April 3 order, granting Pacific Market’s motion to dismiss with leave to amend.

The consolidated lawsuit, brought by consumers from California, Nevada, New York, and Washington, claimed Pacific Market failed to disclose its use of lead in its tumbler’s vacuum-sealed base before the information became public in January 2024. The plaintiffs alleged Pacific Market violated consumer protection statutes in California, Nevada, and New York and were liable for unjust enrichment and fraudulent omission. Sales of Stanley tumblers went from $70 million to about $750 million between 2019 and 2023, the order said.

While plaintiffs cited guidance from health authorities including the US Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization that no amount of lead is safe for human consumption, Lin found these warnings disconnected from the actual product in question, the order said.

Lin pointed out that one plaintiff purchased another Stanley tumbler after filing the lawsuit, undermining her claims that lead disclosure was material to purchasing decisions.

Breskin Johnson & Townsend PLLC, Tousley Brain Stephens PLLC, Whatley Kallas LLP, George Feldman McDonald PLLC, Rushing McCarl LLP, Doyle APC, and Gustafson Gluek PLLC represents the plaintiffs. Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP and K&L Gates LLP represent Pacific Market.

The case is In Re Pacific Market Int’l LLC, Stanley Tumbler Litig., W.D. Wash., No. 2:24-cv-00191, dismissal order 4/3/26.