Estee Lauder Sues Walmart Over Alleged Counterfeit Fragrances

Estee Lauder sued Walmart in California federal court on Monday, accusing the retail giant of selling knockoffs of Estee Lauder fragrance and skin care brands including Clinique, Tom Ford and Le Labo.

Estee Lauder said in the lawsuit that Walmart sold counterfeit products through its website with identical branding to Tom Ford and Le Labo fragrances, Clinique and La Mer skin creams and Aveda hair brushes.

The cosmetics company requested an unspecified amount of monetary damages and a court order blocking Walmart from selling the alleged counterfeits.

Spokespeople for Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Spokespeople and attorneys for Estee Lauder also did not respond to requests for comment.

New York-based Estee Lauder’s fragrance business has grown as Gen Z shoppers flock to brands including Le Labo and Tom Ford.

Its lawsuit said that Walmart does “very little to ensure that only authorized and authentic products are available” through its website, which has led to it selling knockoffs that are likely to cause consumer confusion.

Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart’s expansion of its e-commerce platform helped it become the first retailer to ever hit $1 trillion in market valuation earlier this month.

Estee Lauder’s complaint raised claims against Walmart including trademark infringement, counterfeiting, and false designation of origin over the alleged fakes.

(Reporting by Brittain in Washington, Editing by Franklin Paul)