Slaten v. Christian Dior Perfumes, LLC.

CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedApril 1, 2024
Docket3:23-cv-00409
StatusUnknown

This text of Slaten v. Christian Dior Perfumes, LLC. (Slaten v. Christian Dior Perfumes, LLC.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Slaten v. Christian Dior Perfumes, LLC., (N.D. Cal. 2024).

Opinion

1 2 3 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 7 ALEXIS SLATEN, Case No. 23-cv-00409-JSC

8 Plaintiff, ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S 9 v. MOTION TO DISMISS PLAINTIFF’S SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT 10 CHRISTIAN DIOR PERFUMES, LLC., Re: Dkt. No. 76 Defendant. 11

12 13 Plaintiff brings this putative class action against Defendant Christian Dior Perfumes (Dior) 14 alleging Dior deceptively labels and advertises the sun protection factor (SPF or sunscreen) 15 benefits of certain cosmetic products. (Dkt. No 73.1) Defendant moves to dismiss Plaintiff’s 16 Second Amended Complaint for failure to state a claim. (Dkt. No. 76.) After carefully 17 considering the parties’ written submissions, and having had the benefit of oral argument on 18 March 14, 2024, the Court GRANTS the motion to dismiss. Plaintiff’s Second Amended 19 Complaint fails to plausibly plead Dior’s Products’ labels are false or misleading to reasonable 20 consumers. 21 SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT ALLEGATIONS 22 Plaintiff, a California resident, bought Dior Forever Foundation from a Macy’s store in 23 Daly City, California for several years. (Dkt. No. 73 ¶ 63.) Plaintiff purchased Dior’s Forever 24 Foundation based on the Product’s labeling. (Id. ¶ 64.) Based on the front label, Plaintiff believed 25 the Product would provide cosmetic coverage for 24 hours and SPF 15 sun protection “for longer 26 than two hours.” (Id. ¶ 64.) However, the SPF protection “will last, at most, only two hours.” 27 1 (Id. § 24.) The Products’ back label directs users to “[r]eapply at least every 2 hours” but does not 2 || “clarify for reasonable consumers the duration of the sun protection.” (/d. {J 25, 26.) 3 Plaintiff also challenges the sun protection claims on Dior’s Forever Skin Glow 4 || Foundation product packaging, which Plaintiff alleges is substantially and stylistically similar to 5 those made on the Forever Foundation packaging. (Jd. ff] 20-22.) The Products’ front labels look 6 || like this: 7 Bia var _— 1a) ~— 8 = * @ iD 5 ° CO) ae, ite) 10 / 11 q 12

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. > ia □ eee XO) UND: 20) 19 NGM OL 20 agli aso 0,8 a Pela meh eal Poe ey ees Rel Mo on hltchicp Sbinire esha 21 Oil oe srs Terres ere ren eysa □□ nese) ie: stele 22 se a Sato) B= eggs esl aaa 23 Pi ee 24 ei0m in ga Be 25 (Id. ¥ 21.) 26 we ee Plaintiff posits “[e]ven after viewing the back label, reasonable consumers are confused, 27 deceived, and/or misled into believing that the sun protection will last longer than two hours.” (Jd. 28

1 ¶ 26.) Plaintiff alleges “[r]easonable consumers interpret the claims on these labels collectively to 2 mean that the sunscreen benefits in the products will last longer than two hours without the need to 3 reapply.” (Id. ¶ 23.) Had Plaintiff known the Product would not provide 24-hour sun protection, 4 she would not have purchased the Product or, at least, would have paid less for the Product. (Id. 5 ¶¶ 65-68.) 6 Plaintiff conducted three surveys “to determine how reasonable consumers interpret” the 7 Product labels. (Id. ¶ 27.) Each survey included over 300 participants “who had purchased 8 cosmetics within the last twelve months.” (Id. ¶ 27.) The surveys displayed the Product labels 9 and asked participants “whether, based on the product packaging, they would expect the sunscreen 10 benefits in the product to last two hours or less, or more than two hours.” (Id. ¶ 27.) 11 Sixty-nine percent of Survey 1 participants indicated the Products provided sunscreen 12 benefits for more than two hours based solely on the front label. (Id. ¶ 28.) The front label is 13 therefore “unambiguously deceptive.” (Id. ¶ 28.) Survey 2 gave participants the “option to click a 14 link to view the back label.” (Id. ¶ 30.) One third clicked the link, so Plaintiff alleges “two-thirds 15 of reasonable consumers who shop for the Products do not look at product back labels when 16 making purchasing decisions.” (Id. ¶ 30.) Plaintiff posits Survey 2 confirms “a substantial 17 majority of consumers (57%) were still confused, deceived, and/or misled into believing” the 18 Product provided more than two hours of protection. (Id. ¶ 31.) 19 Survey 3 “forced” participants to view both labels and asked, “how long they expected the 20 sunscreen benefits in the products to last.” (Id. ¶ 32.) Half the participants believed the sunscreen 21 would last for more than two hours. (Id. ¶ 32.) According to Plaintiff, these results demonstrate 22 even if the “front label was ambiguous, the back label does not clarify the ambiguity and the front 23 label claims remain misleading.” (Id. ¶ 33.) 24 Three online consumer product reviews suggest “consumers believe the Product will 25 provide sunscreen benefits for more than two hours” even when viewing the back label. (Id. ¶¶ 26 35-37.) One reviewer notes the SPF 15 “adds an extra layer of protection for all day wear.” (Id. ¶ 27 35.) The second reviewer indicates they love “this foundation” and it “lasts all day”; then, in a 1 that burn in 5 min in the sun.” Ud. 935.) The third review states “if you look on the back of the 2 || box, it says apply every 2 hrs and on the front it says 24h foundation... I’m confused lol.” Ud. □ 3 36.) Ud. 35-36.) The consumer reviews read as follows: 4 5 kakkk I'm in lovel! ee 2022 2W Warm - light skin with warm tones 6 ~“ Recommended = 2 : □ When it comes to foundations, | like my coverage and this foundation met all of my expectations when it came to it. It’s also super hydrating and stayed on nicely all day which doesn’t usually happen with other foundations I’ve 7 tried. | also love that it has SPF 15, which just adds an extra layer of protection for all day wear, I'm so excited to keep using this foundation as I've found my new staple. 8 9 kkk Light and all day #7 Jan 2022 ON Neutral - fair skin with neutral tones 10 ve Recommnendtee | love this foundation it looks so natural and feels so lite and had a little perfume smell. And it lasts all day as well as does not smudge onto clothes. And bonus it's spf 15 so no need to add sunscreen for all of us with fair skin 1 1 that burn in 5 min in the sun. | just love it.

13 kkk css Honest ae 14 24 Jan R Rosy - fair skin wit ndertones y - fair sk yu ’ 3 15 tried this on the back on my hand. It's definitely medium to full coverage but if you look on the back of the box, it says apply every 2 hrs and on the front it says 24h foundation... I'm confused lol. Was excited to receive anything 5 16 "Dior" complementary but you can get just as good if not better foundation without breaking the bank for a lable Not heavily scented but has a faint floral smell. Not sure if it's my shade. Maybe because | don't need full coverage, pretty close though. | do love that there are so many shades available fipmn (1 Sa ' O Z 18 19 || Ud. 99 35-36.) 20 PROCEDURAL HISTORY 21 The Court granted Defendant’s motion to dismiss with leave to amend the original 22 || complaint. (Dkt. No. 43.) Plaintiff then filed a First Amended Complaint, which Defendant again 23 || moved to dismiss. (Dkt. Nos. 46, 54.) This Court granted Defendant’s motion to dismiss the First 24 || Amended Complaint with leave to amend in light of the Ninth Circuit’s decision in McGinity v. 25 || Procter & Gamble Co., 69 F.4th 1093 (9th Cir. 2023). (Dkt. No. 69.) Plaintiff then filed a Second 26 || Amended Complaint. (Dkt. No. 73.) Now pending before the Court is Defendant’s motion to 27 dismiss the Second Amended Complaint. (Dkt. No. 76.) 28

1 LEGAL STANDARD 2 A complaint should be dismissed under Rule 12(b)(6) if it lacks sufficient facts to “state a 3 claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (quotation 4 marks and citations omitted).

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Bluebook (online)
Slaten v. Christian Dior Perfumes, LLC., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/slaten-v-christian-dior-perfumes-llc-cand-2024.