Class action lawsuit against Philips: Baby bottles and cups release dangerous microplastics when heated

Overview of the Philips class action lawsuit:

• WHO: Plaintiffs Tuliisa Miller, Adrianna Cortez and Brian Magadan have filed a class action lawsuit against Philips North America LLC.
• Why: Philips allegedly failed to inform consumers that microplastics from baby bottles can migrate into the liquid when heated.
• Where: The class action lawsuit against Philips was filed in federal court in California.

In a class action lawsuit against Philips, the company is accused of failing to inform consumers that harmful microplastic particles escape from its baby bottles when heated as intended.

Plaintiffs Tuliisa Miller, Adrianna Cortez and Brian Magadan have filed a class action lawsuit against Philips North America LLC, claiming the company is ignoring the potential health consequences of harmful microplastic particles in baby bottles for babies and young children.

“(Philips) has effectively made every parent’s worst nightmare come true: unwittingly exposing their children to the dangers of a product they reasonably believed to be safe,” the plaintiffs allege.

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles created by the breakdown of solid plastic, Philips’ class action lawsuit states. Because of their small size, they tend to accumulate in the body and can worsen health problems such as growth and reproductive disorders, DNA damage, inflammation, weakened immune systems and other adverse health effects.

The plaintiffs claim that a child’s exposure to small amounts of microplastics in early childhood can lead to long-term health problems later in life.

Class action lawsuit by Philips: Consumers trusted that the product was free of harmful substances

Parents trust that products are free of harmful chemicals and substances, especially when they are intended for babies and young children, the plaintiffs say. Product labels tout Philips as the “No. 1 bottle brand,” leading consumers to believe the products are industry leaders and do not put babies at risk, the plaintiffs say.

They also point to the “BPA FREE” label on the products, which misleads consumers into believing that the products are safe for infants and babies. Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely known to be the cause of a number of negative health effects, and consumers are increasingly trying to purchase plastic products that do not contain BPA.

Philips baby bottles are reportedly made of polypropylene; when heated, polypropylene releases microplastics into liquids, according to Philips’ class action lawsuit.

Microplastics are therefore released from baby bottles when they are sterilized, shaken with warm water and used in other typical infant formula preparation processes, the class action lawsuit states.

Philips claims that its baby bottles can be sterilized by boiling, but allegedly fails to inform consumers that they need to rinse the bottles repeatedly or take other measures to reduce the release of microplastics.

The class action lawsuit against Philips asserts claims for violations of the California Unfair Competition Act, the False Advertising Act and the Consumer Protection Act, breach of warranty, and unjust enrichment.

A recent Class action lawsuit over water shortages in Fiji claims that the product is falsely advertised as natural artesian water, even though it contains microplastics.

Do you think Philips should have informed consumers about the risk of microplastics leaking from baby bottles? Let us know in the comments.

Miller, Cortez and Magadan are represented by Ryan J. Clarkson, Bahar Sodaify, Kelsey J. Elling and Alan Gudino of the Clarkson Law Firm PC.

The Class action lawsuit over microplastics in Philips baby bottles Is Tuliisa Miller et al. v. Philips North America LLC.Case No. 3:24-cv-03781, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

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