Hello Toothpaste Lawsuits Explained

Hello Products LLC, owned by Colgate-Palmolive Company since 2020, known for its “naturally friendly” oral care items, has faced several legal challenges concerning the marketing and safety of its toothpaste products.

Below is a summary of notable lawsuits.

Adam C. Weiss, Lawyer at Lever & Ecker, PLLC, contributed to and factchecked this article.

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1. Misrepresentation of Artificial Sweeteners in Toothpastes

• Case: Flaherty v. Hello Products LLC
• Filed: March, 29 2023
• Allegations: The plaintiff alleges that Hello Products falsely advertised certain toothpastes as containing “no artificial sweeteners,” despite including synthetic sweeteners like sorbitol and xylitol. The lawsuit claimed this misled consumers into believing the products were free from artificial ingredients.
• Class Action.org explains that “The lawsuit contends that “sorbitol and xylitol are synthetic sweeteners produced from the hydrogenation of starch or glucose syrups and the hydrogenation of xylose, respectively. They argue that this hydrogenation process is a synthetic reaction that alters the chemical makeup of natural substances to the point that they are ‘different than how they naturally occur.'”
• Status: As of December, 2024 Adam C. Weiss (Lawyer) explains that according to the docket, there is a motion to dismiss pending. It appears that oral argument was heard on 10/15/24 and they are awaiting the Court’s decision.
• Current claims: As of December, 2024 Hello still advertises that their toothpastes “contain no artificial sweeteners.”
• References: ClassAction.org and CourtListener.

2. False Advertising of Charcoal Toothpaste

• Case: Patellos v. Hello Products LLC
• Filed: October 16, 2019
• Allegations: Plaintiffs accused Hello Products of deceptive marketing by promoting their activated charcoal toothpastes as safe and effective for whitening, and detoxifying. The suit argued that the charcoal products actually provide none of the teeth whitening or detoxifying benefits the company claims and that charcoal could erode tooth enamel, potentially leading to dental issues.
• Settlement: Hello Products agreed to a $1.5 million settlement without admission of liability by Hello. Affected consumers could claim up to $6 per product purchased. The deadline to file your claim under the Patellos class action settlement has passed.
• Current marketing claims: Hello still sells charcoal toothpaste in November, 2024, and they say on their website at this time that it is “made with activated charcoal from sustainable bamboo, this paste epically whitens teeth by removing surface stains and freshens your breath like nobody’s business”, and “hello activated charcoal fluoride free toothpaste provides noticeably whiter teeth by removing surface stains and plaque. This black fluoride free paste has been specifically formulated to be safe for enamel, so use hello every time you brush for maximum friendliness”.
• Reference: OpenClassActions.com

3. Procter & Gamble False Advertising

• Case: THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY, Plaintiff, v. HELLO PRODUCTS, LLC, Defendant.
• Filed: 2014
• Allegations: P&G claims “Hello recently began manufacturing and distributing oral care products, including Hello™ anticavity toothpaste (“Hello Paste”). On its labeling and in advertising and promotion, Hello claims that Hello Paste is “99% natural.” In fact, a significant proportion of the ingredients in Hello Paste are extensively and chemically processed, and the product thus is not 99% natural.”
• And according to CaseText “In P&G’s proposed Amended Complaint, P&G seeks to add the phrase “naturally friendly” to the paragraph above because “after P&G commenced this lawsuit and Hello stipulated to a preliminary injunction pursuant to which it agreed to abandon the ‘99% natural’ claim, Hello began labeling, advertising and promoting Hello Paste as ‘naturally friendly.'”
• Current marketing claims: In November, 2024, Hello uses the “made from naturally friendly ingredients” line and not “99% natural”.
• Outcome: A permanent injunction which resolved the case. “Hello denies and disputes the allegations of the complaint filed by P&G, but in the interests of resolving this dispute, is prepared to agree to the terms of this Stipulated Permanent Injunction” which included: “Hello will not make or disseminate the 99% Natural Claim; and will not make or disseminate the statement that the Product ‘is more natural than Crest’ … or the phrase ‘chemistry, not chemicals’.” Source: Case 1:14-cv-00649-VM-RLE
• Reference: The National Law Review and Court Documents.

See my review of Hello Toothpaste and their ingredients here.