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'7 Everyday Brands Sued Over Cancer Claims': What the Lawsuits Show

An Instagram post lists seven familiar brands that faced lawsuits over cancer claims. We checked what each case or recall was actually about, and what a lawsuit can and cannot show.

By Cancer ExplainedPublished

Original commentary from the Cancer Explained editorial team.

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Cycling By The Water — illustrative photograph, not of anyone named in this story.

Please note: this page is educational only — it is not medical advice, and it does not speculate about anyone’s health beyond reliable public reporting. For questions about your own health, talk with your healthcare team.

“Not all lawsuits mean a product directly causes cancer — many are based on ingredient concerns, exposure levels, or lack of warning labels. Some cases were dismissed, while others led to settlements or reformulations.”

@plantbasedly — quoted from the post's caption

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We quote the claim above so you can read it without loading anything from Instagram. We are not affiliated with this account and earn nothing from this.The caption lists seven brands and correctly says a lawsuit does not prove a product causes cancer. It does not say what each case was about. We could match most items to a real suit or recall, but the cancer link differs a lot from brand to brand, and we could not identify a lawsuit for the cherries item.
Quote card reading: "Not all lawsuits mean a product directly causes cancer — many are based on ingredient concerns, exposure levels, or lack of warning labels. Some cases were dismissed, while others led to settlement..." — @plantbasedly
Cancer Explained, quoting Instagram (@plantbasedly) for commentaryThe caption lists seven brands and correctly says a lawsuit does not prove a product causes cancer. It does not say what each case was about. We could match most items to a real suit or recall, but the cancer link differs a lot from brand to brand, and we could not identify a lawsuit for the cherries item.

The claim, and the verdict

An Instagram post from the account @plantbasedly is titled "7 Everyday Brands That Faced Lawsuits Over Cancer Claims." It lists Starbucks, Banana Boat, Colgate-Palmolive, Chobani, cherries ("linked to pesticide exposure concerns"), Old Spice and Johnson & Johnson. It adds a fair caution: "Not all lawsuits mean a product directly causes cancer."

Verdict: mixed. We could tie five of the seven items to a real lawsuit or recall that involved a cancer-related chemical. The Chobani item, as far as we could tell, is not a cancer case. For cherries, we could not find a cancer lawsuit at all. Every brand statement below is an allegation or an outcome as reported, not a finding that a product causes cancer.

Item by item

Starbucks (coffee and acrylamide). A nonprofit, the Council for Education and Research on Toxics, sued Starbucks and 90 other companies under California's Proposition 65 over acrylamide in coffee. In March 2018 the trial judge wrote that the defendants "failed to satisfy their burden of proving ... that consumption of coffee confers a benefit to human health," according to NBC News. California later adopted a rule, effective October 1, 2019, saying that exposures to chemicals created by roasting or brewing coffee "do not pose a significant risk of cancer." Starbucks' SEC filings say the trial court granted summary judgment for the defendants in 2020, the Court of Appeal affirmed it, and the California Supreme Court "denied Plaintiff's petition for review on February 15, 2023, concluding the matter."

Banana Boat (benzene). A proposed class action filed in August 2021 in federal court in New York alleged that Banana Boat spray sunscreens were contaminated with benzene. It followed a report by the online pharmacy Valisure. In July 2022, Edgewell recalled three batches of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp spray. The company said benzene is not intentionally in the formula and that the unexpected levels came from the propellant. We did not find how that New York lawsuit ended. (A separate Banana Boat benzene case, brought by a different plaintiff, was reinstated by the Ninth Circuit in October 2024 (Bowen v. Energizer Holdings). That is a ruling that the plaintiff could bring the case, not a finding about the product.)

Old Spice (benzene). In late 2021, Old Spice and Secret aerosol sprays were recalled over the possible presence of benzene, and the maker, Procter & Gamble, said it had received no reports of injuries. P&G later agreed to an $8 million class action settlement covering several aerosol brands, including Old Spice. It did not admit wrongdoing.

Colgate-Palmolive (talc; the post does not say which case). The cancer-related suits we found involve Cashmere Bouquet talcum powder and allegations of asbestos in the talc. A woman alleged that using it caused her mesothelioma, a rare cancer. A jury awarded $13 million in 2015, and Colgate said the evidence showed the product "played no part" in her illness. That verdict was not the last word: the jury assigned 95 percent of liability to Colgate, and the parties reached a confidential settlement before the punitive phase. Colgate has also faced toothpaste class actions, but Truth in Advertising's summary says they allege "toxic heavy metals, including lead and mercury," and it does not mention cancer.

Johnson & Johnson (talc). In July 2026, J&J announced a settlement of at least $5.5 billion to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits claiming its talc products caused ovarian cancer. The company denies its products were harmful and says talc was safe and did not contain asbestos. The deal still needs acceptance by 95 percent of the ovarian cancer claimants.

Chobani (probably not a cancer case). We found one suit, Wysocki v. Chobani. It alleges that Chobani's "only natural ingredients" marketing was false because testing found phthalates in the yogurt. According to legal commentary, the plaintiff alleged harms such as endocrine disruption and argued her claims fall outside Proposition 65, which concerns cancer and reproductive toxicity; the court called the Prop 65 analysis premature. In April 2026 a federal judge in the Southern District of California mostly denied Chobani's motion to dismiss, granting it in part. The judge let the false-advertising theory go forward, reasoning that phthalates could count as "ingredients" under an "only natural ingredients" claim, and dismissed the equitable-relief and express-warranty claims. That is a ruling on the pleadings, not a decision about harm.

Cherries (could not be verified). We could not identify any lawsuit tying cherries to cancer, so this article makes no statement about the cherries item beyond that. It does not mean cherries are risky. Our page on pesticide exposure and cancer risk covers the general evidence.

What a lawsuit does and does not show

A lawsuit is a set of allegations. It can end in a verdict, a settlement or a dismissal, and none of those alone settles whether a substance causes cancer. Settlements can include no admission of wrongdoing, as the P&G one did. Even a verdict is a decision about one case and one set of evidence.

A recall is not a finding that anyone developed cancer. FDA, in its FAQ on benzene in drugs, says "the health consequences of benzene exposure depend on the amount, route, and length of time of exposure, as well as age and preexisting medical conditions of the product user."

Terms worth knowing

Benzene is an established cancer-causing substance. NCI says exposure to benzene "increases the risk of developing leukemia and other blood disorders." But FDA says benzene is not intentionally used in making drugs. Contamination has been linked to inactive ingredients such as spray propellants. FDA says manufacturers should not release a batch above 2 parts per million. Benzene in a spray was a contamination problem, not an ingredient.

Acrylamide forms in some foods during cooking, including coffee. IARC classed it as "probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A)" in 1994, on animal evidence, with "inadequate evidence" in humans. NCI says studies in humans "have found no consistent evidence" that acrylamide in food is linked to any type of cancer.

Talc is a mineral that can be contaminated with asbestos. Talc containing asbestos is classified by IARC as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), as part of its classification of asbestos. For asbestos-free talc and ovarian cancer, the American Cancer Society says "findings have been mixed, with some studies reporting a slightly increased risk and some reporting no increase." NCI says studies of women using talc on the perineum "have not found clear evidence" of higher ovarian cancer risk. In 2024, IARC classed talc as Group 2A. It cited limited human evidence for ovarian cancer. IARC said a causal link could not be fully established. The increase could be explained by asbestos contamination or by study bias. IARC also said numerous human studies consistently showed higher ovarian cancer rates among women who reported using body powder in the perineal region.

IARC groups describe the strength of evidence that something can cause cancer. IARC says its classification "does not indicate the level of cancer risk" at different exposures.

Proposition 65 warnings are California's "right to know" system. The state Attorney General says a warning "is not the same as a regulatory decision that a product is 'safe' or 'unsafe.'"

What this does not mean

  • It does not mean any of these products cause cancer. It also does not mean they are proven safe.
  • It does not mean a recall or lawsuit is meaningless. Recalls exist to remove products that missed a standard.
  • It does not tell you whether a personal exposure caused a specific illness. If you have questions about your own health or a product you use, a doctor or pharmacist can help.

A list of brand names with the word "cancer" attached is not evidence. The useful questions are what the suit alleged, what the outcome was, and what independent health agencies say about the substance. Our guide to spotting cancer misinformation online goes further.

Sources

An AI-assisted editorial system helped prepare this page. No named medical reviewer has reviewed it unless one is listed.

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Put the story in context

Prevention, possible warning signs, screening, and diagnosis

This story relates to Carcinogen claims, product lawsuits, and recalls. The information below is general: it does not reveal anything else about a public person’s health, and not every point applies to every cancer. Personal advice depends on age, symptoms, family history, exposures, and medical history.

  • Prevention and risk reduction

    Not every cancer can be prevented. Avoiding tobacco, protecting skin from ultraviolet radiation, limiting alcohol, staying active, and receiving recommended HPV or hepatitis B vaccination can lower the risk of certain cancers. A risk factor is not a prediction or a cause in one individual.

    NCI prevention information ↗

  • Symptoms and possible early signs

    Possible signs vary and are often caused by conditions other than cancer. Changes worth discussing include a new lump, unexplained bleeding or weight loss, a persistent cough, lasting bowel or bladder changes, a changing skin spot, or symptoms that persist or worsen. Some early cancers cause no symptoms.

    NCI signs and symptoms ↗

  • Screening and early detection

    Screening looks for certain cancers before symptoms begin. Recommended tests exist only for some cancers and depend on age and risk. Screening can have benefits and harms; it is not the same as evaluating a new symptom, and there is no single routine scan or blood test that reliably screens for every cancer.

    NCI cancer screening information ↗

  • How cancer is diagnosed

    Diagnosis may involve a history and exam, imaging, laboratory tests, and often a biopsy. Pathology can identify the cancer type and may test biomarkers that guide treatment. Symptoms, screening results, tumor markers, or online stories alone cannot confirm cancer.

    NCI diagnosis information ↗

Learn about this story’s cancer topic

A public story may encourage questions, but it should not be used to estimate your risk or choose testing. Contact a healthcare professional about a persistent or concerning change. Seek urgent care for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms.

Related Cancer Explained resources

Go deeper with NCI