Amazon.com is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit in the US after consumers accused the e-commerce giant of misleading shoppers about the environmental credentials of seafood sold on its platform. The lawsuit, filed on Friday in a federal court in Seattle, alleges that Amazon used sustainability-related labels and marketing language that gave customers a false impression about the environmental impact of the seafood products it sells.
According to the complaint, descriptions featuring terms such as “dolphin safe,” “responsibly sourced,” “sustainable,” “wild caught” and “MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood” led consumers to believe the seafood was obtained through practices that caused minimal harm to marine ecosystems, as per a Reuters report.
The plaintiffs argue that these claims were either unsupported or materially misleading because the seafood supply chain lacks sufficient transparency. They contend that many commercial fishing vessels are not publicly traceable, while some intentionally disable , known as transponders, making it difficult to verify where and how seafood is sourced. The complaint also alleges that at least one-fifth of imported wild-caught seafood is not responsibly or sustainably sourced.
“Amazon nevertheless markets the greenwashed seafood products using broad sustainability messaging without providing disclosures necessary to prevent consumer deception,” the complaint said.
Lawsuit Targets Multiple Seafood Brands Sold On Amazon
The legal action covers dozens of seafood products, including tuna, salmon and other fish sold under several well-known brands. These include Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, StarKist, as well as Amazon’s own 365 by Whole Foods Market label.
The consumers leading the lawsuit are Madeleine Rogow of Los Angeles and Adam Sorkin of Chicago. They claim they either would not have purchased the seafood products or would have paid less if Amazon had accurately disclosed their “true sustainable nature.”
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages and restitution on behalf of consumers across the United States. The case alleges violations of Washington state’s consumer protection laws.
The retailer has frequently faced legal challenges over products sold through its online marketplace, including items offered by third-party sellers.
The lawsuit comes as Amazon continues to expand its grocery business. During an April 29 conference call with analysts, Chief Executive Andy Jassy said the Seattle-based company recorded more than $150 billion in gross grocery sales in 2025, making it the second-largest grocery retailer in the United States.
Although products from Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist are named in the complaint, their parent companies are not defendants in the case. The respective parent firms, Taiwan’s FCF, Thailand’s Thai Union Group and South Korea’s Dongwon Industries, have not been accused of wrongdoing in this lawsuit.
If certified, the proposed class action could allow consumers across the United States who purchased the affected seafood products to seek financial compensation, while also drawing greater scrutiny to sustainability claims made in online retail marketplaces.