Stanley tumblers have taken the world by storm in recent months. The cups drew a lot of public attention and interest after becoming an internet phenomenon, and then quickly came under scrutiny for containing lead.
Now, the manufacturer of the popular cups, Pacific Market International (PMI), is being sued by four California women in a class action suit for allegedly deceiving consumers about the presence of lead in the tumblers.
“PMI had a duty to disclose its use of lead before enticing millions of customers to unwittingly buy its drinkware,” the suit states. “Instead of allowing customers to decide for themselves and their families whether to accept any risks associated with using a lead-contaminated drinking cup, PMI kept customers in the dark so as not to interfere with its bonanza of influencer-driven sales, especially to young women.”
Is there lead in Stanley cups?
The short answer: yes. But it’s more complex than that.
To keep drinks cold, Stanley tumblers use stainless steel. At the bottom of each cup, there is a small pellet that contains lead, which is the stainless steel vacuum seal insulation.
Should that seal come off, consumers would have direct exposure to the lead pellet while drinking from their Stanley cups. However, according to comments from the company, the likelihood of that happening is very slim.
“Our manufacturing process currently employs the use of an industry standard pellet to seal the vacuum insulation at the base of our products; the sealing material includes some lead,” the company explains on its website. “Once sealed, this area is covered with a durable stainless steel layer, making it inaccessible to consumers.”
The company also explained that all cups and tumblers are eligible for a lifetime warranty should any of the seals break.
What are the details of the lawsuit?
Though PMI has been forthcoming in its use of lead in the manufacturing process of its Stanley cups, the lawsuit alleges that this hadn’t come out until recently. Meanwhile, the cups had generated a great deal of internet buzz prior to that.
“PMI has marketed its products to the public for years as a safe, practical item especially suitable for young women,” the suit states. “But PMI did not disclose its use of lead in manufacturing until January 2024. Rather, it advertises its cups as being ‘BPA-free’ and made of stainless steel, while omitting another key ingredient used in its vacuum seal: lead.”
The suit also states that all four women bought the cups, containing lead, with no disclosures or warnings about the lead, and they wouldn’t have bought the cups – or spent as much as they did on a cup – had they known they contained lead.
The plaintiffs are requesting that Stanley discloses the use of lead or any other toxins in its products, as well as several undisclosed damages.
