Corra v. Energizer Holdings, Inc.

962 F. Supp. 2d 1207, 2013 WL 3992134, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 109109
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. California
DecidedAugust 2, 2013
DocketNo. 1:12-cv-01736-AWI-SKO
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 962 F. Supp. 2d 1207 (Corra v. Energizer Holdings, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Corra v. Energizer Holdings, Inc., 962 F. Supp. 2d 1207, 2013 WL 3992134, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 109109 (E.D. Cal. 2013).

Opinion

ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO DISMISS FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT AND FOR LEAVE TO FILE SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT

ANTHONY W. ISHII, Senior District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Defendants Energizer Holdings, Inc., et al., have filed a motion to dismiss the first [1211]*1211amended complaint without leave to amend. Plaintiff Aida Corra has filed a motion for leave to file a second amended complaint. For reasons discussed below, Defendants’ motion shall be granted in part and denied in part; Plaintiffs motion shall be denied as moot.

II. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

The Court refers the parties to previous orders for a complete chronology of the proceedings. On November 26, 2012, plaintiff Aida Corra, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated (hereinafter referred to as “Plaintiff’), filed her first amended class-action complaint (FAC) against defendants Energizer Holdings, Inc., Playtex Products, LLC fka Playtex Products, Inc., and Sun Pharmaceuticals, LLC (hereinafter referred to as “Defendants”), asserting causes of action for violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law (“UCL,” Cal. Bus. & Prof.Code, § 17200 et seq.) and Consumers Legal Remedies Act (“CLRA,” Cal. Civ.Code, § 1750 et seq.) and breach of express warranty. Plaintiff alleged as follows:

“Defendants distribute, market and sell a variety of sun and skincare products. This lawsuit concerns the Banana Boat SPF [sun protection factor] 85-110 collection, a line of 10 sunscreen products labeled with a SPF of 85 or greater. The Banana Boat SPF 85-110 collection is sold online and at a variety of third-party retailers including Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens and CVS.”

Plaintiff further alleged:

“Since launching the Banana Boat SPF 85-110 collection, Defendants have consistently conveyed the message to consumers throughout the United States, including California, that the Banana Boat SPF 85-110 collection provides superior UVB protection compared to comparable lower SPF valued products, including the Banana Boat SPF 50 Products. They do not. Defendants’ superi- or UVB protection claims are false, misleading and deceptive.”
“There are only two material differences between the Products in the Banana Boat SPF 85-110 collection and the Banana Boat SPF 50 Products: (1) the SPF values; and (2) the price. The Banana Boat SPF 85-100 collection retails for a premium over comparable lower SPF products, including the Banana Boat SPF 50 Products. For example, the Sport Performance® Sunscreen SPF 100 Lotion Plaintiff purchased contains all of the active ingredients and provides the same UVB protection as Sport Performance® Sunscreen SPF 50 Lotion. Yet, the Sport Performance® Sunscreen SPF Lotion Plaintiff bought retails for at least a $1.00 or more over the Sport Performance® Sunscreen SPF 50 Lotion product.”
“A sunscreen’ SPF value is calculated by comparing the time needed for a person to burn unprotected with how long it takes for that person to burn wearing sunscreen. So a person who turns red after 20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure is theoretically protected 15 times longer if they adequately apply SPF 15. Importantly, the SPF rating system is non-linear. Also importantly, scientific studies establish that sunscreen products with SPF values over 50 provide no additional clinical benefit to consumers. SPF 100 blocks 99 percent of UV rays, while SPF blocks 98 percent, an immaterial difference that yields no clinical benefit to consumers.”
“To stop the false sense of security high numbered SPF products create in the minds of consumers, in June 2011 the FDA proposed a regulation governing [1212]*1212the labeling of sunscreen products that would cap SPF values at ‘SPF 50+.”’ See 76 Fed.Reg. 35672. According to the FDA, there is insufficient data ‘to establish that products with SPF values higher than 50 provide additional clinical benefit over SPF 50 sunscreen products.’ Id. at 35673. In fact, scientific studies establish that there is no added clinical benefit associated with SPF values over 50. The FDA’s proposed SPF 50+ rule harmonizes with other countries, including Australia and the European Union, that have imposed similar SPF labeling restrictions to reduce consumer confusion.”
“Defendants’ superior UVB protection claims are designed to take advantage of health conscious consumers seeking protection from the damaging effects of unprotected sun exposure as increasingly expressed by members of the medical community and documented by the media. Each and every consumer who purchases a Product in the SPF 85-110 collection is exposed to the 85, 100 or 110 SPF values, which appear prominently and conspicuously on the front and center of the Product label set-off from the other representations.”
“Despite the scientific evidence that SPF values higher than 50 provide no additional clinical benefit, Defendants continue to claim that the Banana Boat SPF 85-110 collection provides superior UVB protection and sells the Products for a price premium over comparable lower value SPF products, including the Banana Boat SPF 50 Products.”
“As the distributor of the Banana Boat SPF 85-110 collection, Defendants possess specialized knowledge regarding the content and effects of the ingredients contained in their Products, and are in a superior position to learn of the effects — and have learned of the effects — their Products have on consumers. [¶] Specifically, Defendants knew or should have known, but failed to disclose that the Banana Boat SPF 85-110 collection does not provide superior UVB protection compared to less expensive, lower value SPF products, including the Banana Boat SPF 50 Products.”
“Plaintiff and Class members have been and will continue to be deceived or misled by Defendants’ deceptive superior UVB protection claims. Plaintiff purchased and applied Sport Performance® Sunscreen SPF 100 Lotion during the Class period and in doing so, read and considered the Sport Performance® Sunscreen SPF 100 Lotion label and based her decision to buy and pay a premium for Sport Performance® Sunscreen SPF 100 Lotion on the superior UVB protection claims. Defendants’ superior UVB protection claims were a material factor in influencing Plaintiffs decision to purchase and use Sport Performance® Sunscreen SPF 100 Lotion. Plaintiff would not have purchased Sport Performance® Sunscreen SPF 100 Lotion had she known that the Product does not provide the represented superi- or UVB protection.”
“As a result, Plaintiff and the Class members have been damaged by their purchases of the Banana Boat SPF 85-110 collection and have been deceived into purchasing Products that they believed, based on Defendants’ representations, provide superior UVB protection compared to less expensive, comparable lower valued SPF products, including the Banana Boat SPF 50 Products, when, in fact, they do not. [¶] Defendants have reaped enormous profits [1213]*1213from their false marketing and sale of the Banana Boat SPF 85-110 collection.”

On January 16, 2013, Defendants filed a motion to dismiss the FAC pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6).

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Bluebook (online)
962 F. Supp. 2d 1207, 2013 WL 3992134, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 109109, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/corra-v-energizer-holdings-inc-caed-2013.