Retailers Welcome SCOTUS Product Labeling Decision

The Retail Litigation Center today welcomed the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Monsanto Co. v. John L. Durnell, which held that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) expressly preempts a state-law failure-to-warn claim seeking to require a cancer warning on Roundup’s label.  In its decision, the Court confirmed that pesticide labels must remain subject to a uniform federal standard and cannot be overridden by conflicting state-law labeling demands.

For retailers, the ruling restores critical certainty.  Retailers sell hundreds or thousands of federally regulated products in almost every state.  They therefore must be able to rely on federally approved labels.  Allowing every state to impose different warning obligations would create a patchwork of conflicting requirements, expose retailers to costly litigation, and confuse consumers.

“Today’s decision is an important win for retailers and the customers they serve,” said Monica Welt, president of the Retail Litigation Center. “Retailers should be able to rely on clear, nationwide federal labeling rules rather than face conflicting state-law mandates that create confusion, increase litigation risk, and disrupt the efficient sale of everyday products.” 

The Retail Litigation Center filed an amicus brief in support of Monsanto. 

###

Media Contact: press@rila.org

Directed by the chief legal officers of the country's leading retail companies, the Retail Litigation Center (RLC) is the only organization dedicated to advocating for the industry's top priorities in the federal and state judiciary. The RLC also works with leading law firms and retail corporate counsel to develop forward-thinking strategies to combat meritless mass action litigation. Founded by the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) in 2010 as an independent organization, the RLC is a 501(c)(6) membership association open to all retailers and select law firms.