Amazon is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit from consumers who allege that environmental claims attached to seafood sold through its platform gave shoppers a misleading picture of how the products were sourced.
The case was filed on July 31 in Seattle federal court and accuses Amazon of greenwashing tuna, salmon, and other seafood through labels such as “dolphin safe,” “responsibly sourced,” “sustainable,” “wild caught,” and “MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood.”
The complaint was lodged in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington and also challenges terms including “traceable” on product packaging and Amazon’s point-of-sale pages.
Consumers Challenge Broad Environmental Messaging
The lawsuit does not merely question whether individual products carry certification. It argues that the overall presentation encourages buyers to believe the seafood causes minimal damage to oceans, marine life, and the environment.
According to Reuters, the plaintiffs call those representations unsubstantiated or materially false because most fishing vessels are not publicly tracked and some ships allegedly conceal their locations by switching off electronic transponders.
The complaint claims at least one-fifth of imported wild-caught seafood is not responsibly or sustainably sourced.
SeafoodSource said the lawsuit alleges Amazon fails to explain that some fisheries carrying Marine Stewardship Council certification may use bottom trawling, dredging, fish-aggregating devices, or practices associated with substantial bycatch.
The complaint further argues that the MSC Chain of Custody standard should not automatically be presented as equivalent to full traceability.
Major Tuna and Salmon Brands Named
The challenged listings cover dozens of products sold under Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, StarKist, and Amazon’s 365 by Whole Foods Market brand.
SeafoodSource identified Fishwife among the additional brands referenced in the complaint and said plaintiff Madeleine Rogow purchased 365 by Whole Foods Market Sockeye Salmon Fillet and other seafood believing the products were sustainable.
Co-plaintiff Adam Sorkin bought several products from Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, and StarKist under a similar belief about their environmental qualities.
Reuters said Rogow, who lives in Los Angeles, and Sorkin, a Chicago resident, claim they would have avoided the seafood or paid less had Amazon disclosed what they describe as its “true sustainable nature.”
Lawsuit Invokes Consumer Protection Rules
Hagens Berman filed the case for Rogow and Sorkin, with Managing Partner and Co-Founder Steve Berman accusing Amazon’s marketing of deceiving consumers who want their spending to support sustainability.
The complaint also alleges that Amazon’s environmental messaging conflicts with the Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides, which caution marketers against broad, unqualified environmental-benefit claims.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, restitution, and relief for consumers across the United States under Washington consumer-protection law.
Amazon Has Not Responded Publicly
Amazon and lawyers representing the company in other consumer class actions did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The parent companies of Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, and StarKist—FCF, Thai Union Group, and Dongwon Industries—were not named as defendants.
The case could carry significant commercial consequences because sustainability labels often allow retailers to distinguish products and justify higher prices. Amazon Chief Executive Andy Jassy described the company as the second-largest US grocer, with more than $150 billion in gross sales during 2025.
The court will ultimately have to determine whether Amazon’s labels accurately communicated the limits of seafood certification—or whether broad environmental language encouraged consumers to pay for assurances the plaintiffs say were never adequately supported.
