A California man is suing Brita over what he alleges is misleading messaging on its water filtration packaging.
On Aug. 16, Los Angeles resident Nicholas Brown filed a class-action complaint in the Superior Court of the State of California County of Los Angeles. In the legal document, Brown alleges that the Brita Filter Company “falsely and misleadingly markets, advertises, labels and packages” the ability of its water pitchers to remove a number of hazardous contaminants. He is represented by Clarkson Law Firm.
The complaint, obtained by Reuters, states that “in or around early 2022” Brown purchased a Brita Everyday Water Pitcher with a Standard Filter for about $15 at a store in Los Angeles. Brown states that he bought it because of some of the statements printed on the Brita pitcher’s packaging, which he says include, in part, “FRESH FILTER = FRESHER WATER” and “Reduces 30 contaminants including Lead, Benzene, Mercury, Cadmium, Asbestos, and More.”
Brita refutes the false advertising allegation, calling the lawsuit “meritless” and “baseless.”
Brown says in the complaint he viewed the pitcher as “water treatment device” based on the product’s labels and packaging in making the purchase, but alleges that the wording on the box “was false,” adding that the pitcher he purchased “does not remove or reduce common contaminants ... to below lab detectable limits.” He also alleges that the filters “fail to remove or reduce ... some of the highest risk, notorious, or prevalent contaminants from drinking water,” including “forever chemicals,” or PFAS. A recent study estimated that nearly half of the nation’s tap wateris contaminated with one or more PFAS chemicals.
“Unfortunately, the Products are not nearly as effective as Defendant deliberately leads people to believe, causing consumers to overpay millions and forego more effective alternatives,” the complaint states. “In this way, Defendant has not only bilked millions of dollars from consumers in ill-gotten gains, but Defendant has put the health and welfare of millions of consumers and their families at risk.”
This lawsuit is seeking a jury trial, for Brita to change the language used to market its products to better reflect what they filter out, and monetary compensation for those who purchased a Brita product to filter out chemicals from their drinking water that Brita’s filter isn’t able to remove.
A spokesperson for the Clorox Company, Brita’s parent company, issued TODAY.com the following statement:
Brita takes the transparency of the water filtration options we offer seriously. Our products include a standard filtration option that improves taste and odor of tap water and is certified to reduce identified contaminants as communicated. For those consumers looking for water filters certified to reduce PFOS or PFOA, the Brita Elite pour-through and Brita Hub are both certified under NSF ANSI 53 to reduce PFOS/PFOA, as well as lead and other identified contaminants.
Brita stands firmly behind each of these third-party certifications, which use best-in-class, reproducible testing methods to certify our products reduce specific contaminants to at-or-below maximum allowable levels that are set by the EPA or other applicable regulatory authorities, under specified conditions.
The recent lawsuit does not challenge the efficacy of Brita’s filters against these certification standards. Instead, the meritless suit proposes that Brita list every contaminant that its filters do not remove. In fact, there is no such legal requirement or industry standard. This baseless lawsuit is like suing a drug manufacturer for failing to list the conditions that its drugs does not treat, or a food manufacturer for failing to list the nutrients that its food does not contain. It creates a false narrative and confuses consumers who are seeking to find filtering solutions that meet their needs.
Brita follows the industry-standard practice of clearly listing exactly which contaminants are reduced by its filters, and the methods that were used to substantiate these claims. Brita strongly believes that this approach is the most transparent and easiest for consumers to understand.
In response to Brita’s statement, Clarkson Law Firm provided TODAY.com with a press release, which included the following statements from managing partner Ryan Clarkson and partner Katherine A Bruce:
“Everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, has a fundamental right to clean and safe drinking water,”said Clarkson. “Lulling customers into a false sense of security about the quality and safety of their water is not only immoral, it’s illegal.”
“These chemicals pose an enormous threat to our health and our future,”said Bruce.“Brita knows the health implications at stake, but has actively chosen to deprive customers of the information they need to keep themselves and their families safe. With this lawsuit, we want to hold them accountable.”
Joseph Lamour
Washington, D.C. native Joseph Lamour is a lover of food: its past, its present and the science behind it. With food, you can bring opposites together to form a truly marvelous combination, and he strives to take that sentiment to heart in all that he does.
FAQs
The complaint says some of the contaminants that the filters do not remove are PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals." A class-action lawsuit filed in California claims that Brita falsely advertises the substances its filters supposedly eliminate from tap water.
Does Brita actually work in a lawsuit? ›
A class-action lawsuit alleges that Brita has engaged in false advertising about what its filters remove from tap water.
What is the Brita filter controversy? ›
The lawsuit alleges that by writing on their labels that their filters “Reduce 3X contaminants,” Brita has falsely given consumers the impression that the filter removes “arsenic, chromium-6, nitrate and nitrites” and other chemicals, including PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” It does not mention misleading ...
Are Brita filters not effective? ›
Many of Brita's filter types simply aren't designed to kill bacteria. While it might (might being the important word here) reduce the number of dangerous organisms in your water, it doesn't eliminate them. So, in an ironic twist, the filter actually becomes a breeding ground for these dangerous microorganisms.
What is the truth about Brita filters? ›
Tap Water, Brita water filters do not actually kill the microorganisms that may be found in your in-home water supply. In fact, because the filter is not designed to kill bacteria, it becomes a breeding ground for microorganisms, especially if you fail to conduct proper maintenance.
Did Brita win the lawsuit? ›
Law360 (February 28, 2023, 9:28 PM EST) — The Clorox Co.'s Brita brand scored a win Tuesday in its legal fight against a trio of rival water filter manufacturers, landing a ruling from a U.S. International Trade Commission judge who found that other companies infringed claims in a patent that covers Brita LP's “gravity ...
Is using a Brita filter good for you? ›
The short answer here is that Brita filters do work, and they can effectively remove impurities from your tap water. According to Brita, all of their filters cut chlorine taste and odour and reduce other contaminants like mercury and lead.
Are Brita filters made in China? ›
Worldwide 1,827 employees at 28 national and international subsidiaries and branches in 66 countries work for BRITA, including 942 at the headquarters in Germany. The family-run company maintains production sites in Germany, Great Britain, Italy and China.
Is pur better than Brita? ›
Brita surpasses Pur in overall water taste, filter lifespan, filter replacement cost, and pitcher options. However, the whole point of a water filter pitcher is to remove contaminants. The Pur filters reduce and remove more chemicals from the water than the Brita pitchers do.
What's the Brita trick? ›
Videos about pouring vodka through a Brita filter to make it taste better are going viral on TikTok. A science expert said removing the impurities can alter the taste and minimize hangover symptoms.
Why is my Brita Elite™ filtering slowly? Elite™ Filters should take, at most, 10–15 minutes to filter the reservoir of water in your pitcher or dispenser. One common cause of slow filtering is high levels of sediment in tap water, which occurs in some U.S. households.
Why does my Brita filter water so fast? ›
When a new one is put in, it seem to flow through fast just because it hasn't captured any of the microscopic particulates yet. As the activated charcoal in the filter captures more particulates, it will begin to slow down some. I suggest you call Brita on their customer service number and express your concerns.
Is bottled water better than Brita? ›
Filter water vs. bottled water. Although both filtered water and bottled water can provide healthier, better-tasting water, the cost-effectiveness and smaller environmental impact of filtered water beats out bottled water at every turn.
Why is Brita in a lawsuit? ›
The proposed class-action lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims that deceptive advertising has led customers to falsely believe that Brita products filter such contaminants as arsenic, nitrate, hexavalent chromium and certain PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” from tap water.
Is ZeroWater better than Brita? ›
It's also more compact, taking up less room in your refrigerator, but holds the same 10 cups of water as the ZeroWater. The only benefit the ZeroWater has over the Brita is its ability to remove lead. If lead is a concern, and you don't mind the high cost of filter replacements, the ZeroWater may be a better choice.
Which water filter removes the most contaminants? ›
Reverse Osmosis Systems
A reverse osmosis system combined with a carbon filter is most effective at removing water contaminants.
Does Brita actually remove lead? ›
Brita claims its filtration system can remove up to 99% of many kinds of contaminants. Research seems to back this up, as a 2020 study found that carbon filters can bring lead contamination in tap water down to safe levels. Brita's Elite water filter is the only Brita filter that can remove lead from drinking water.
Does Brita remove forever chemicals? ›
Filtering PFAs from Drinking Water
Although they reduce or remove many different chemicals from tap water, Brita filters do not remove PFAs. On its website, Brita says that their filters remove the taste and smell of chlorine, reduce zinc, copper, mercury, and some particulates.
Does pur filter actually work? ›
For over 30 years, all PUR filters have undergone rigorous testing to ensure U.S. standards for safety are met. In fact, PUR's faucet filtration systems are certified by NSF and WQA for their contamination reduction.
