Amazon.com Faces Consumer Lawsuit Over Seafood Sustainability Claims

Amazon.com has been sued by consumers who accuse the retail giant of misrepresenting the environmental benefits of seafood products sold on its platform, alleging that the company engaged in greenwashing.

In a proposed class action filed in a Seattle federal court, consumers claimed that labels and marketing phrases including “dolphin safe”, “responsibly sourced”, “sustainable”, “wild caught” and “MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood” misled buyers into believing Amazon’s seafood sourcing practices caused minimal harm to oceans and the environment.

The plaintiffs argued that these claims were unsubstantiated or materially false, alleging that many fishing vessels are not publicly tracked and that some operators conceal their locations by disabling electronic tracking devices known as transponders. They also claimed 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.

Amazon, headquartered in Seattle, is the second-largest grocery retailer in the US, with gross sales exceeding $150 billion in 2025, according to Chief Executive Andy Jassy, who made the comments during an April 29 conference call with analysts.

Amazon and lawyers representing the company in other consumer class-action lawsuits did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The company has faced several lawsuits over products sold through its platform, including items offered by third-party sellers.

Seafood Brands Targeted

The lawsuit covers dozens of tuna, salmon and other seafood products sold under brands including Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, StarKist and Amazon’s own 365 by Whole Foods Market range.

The plaintiffs, led by Madeleine Rogow of Los Angeles and Adam Sorkin of Chicago, said they would not have purchased the seafood products, or would have paid less for them, if Amazon had disclosed what they described as the products’ “true sustainable nature”.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages and restitution for consumers across the US, alleging violations of Washington state consumer protection laws.

The parent companies of Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist — Taiwan-based FCF, Thailand’s Thai Union Group and South Korea’s Dongwon Industries — are not named as defendants in the lawsuit.

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