Judge Rules No Lead Harm Risk in Stanley Cups

A federal judge has dismissed a proposed class-action lawsuit that accused Pacific Market International, the maker of Stanley tumblers, of failing to disclose the presence of lead in its popular water bottles. U.S. District Judge Tana Lin in Seattle ruled on Friday that consumers did not demonstrate a "specific and plausible risk of harm" associated with the lead content.

Pacific Market International stated that the lead was used in pellets to maintain temperature and was inaccessible once sealed. However, the plaintiffs argued they would not have purchased the tumblers or would have paid less if they had known about the lead. Judge Lin found that the plaintiffs did not show the lead's presence was material to reasonable consumers or that it posed a danger.

The judge wrote that "dangers plaintiffs warn of are completely disconnected from the Stanley cups." She further stated that if the tumblers function as advertised and pose no plausible risk, claims of being "safe and suitable for ordinary use" cannot be deemed false or misleading. The plaintiffs were granted an opportunity to amend their complaint, but the judge indicated she would dismiss it permanently if its shortcomings, particularly regarding materiality, are not addressed.