Maker of Stanley cups being sued due to lead contamination concerns

The maker of Stanley Cups is being sued over allegations that the product contains lead.

If you've been on the internet lately, you've probably encountered the cups in some form or another as they became the latest 'it' thing.

The cups have gone absolutely viral, becoming an online sensation.

But now, a legal case has been raised against the manufacturer of the cups after it was alleged that lead is used in their manufacture.

Of course, lead is not something that you would want to have in a device which is used for consuming food and drink.

In a statement posted to its website the manufacturer has acknowledged that the cups do contain lead, but it is not used in any surface that comes into contact with the contents or consumer.

It said: "No lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer nor the contents of the product."

But concerns have been raised over how this might change over time, for example if the cup becomes damaged or worn.

FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

Before their viral success, Stanley Cups were marketed as a durable and long-lasting product, but that image changed when people began posting videos of themselves with the 'Stanley Quencher' cups.

Videos abounded online of people scrambling to get their hands on one of the coveted cups or showing off their collection of special edition versions.

Meanwhile, others piled in on social media lamenting that what was originally intended as a durable product became a viral sensation, sparking overconsumption.

The result for the 100-year-old Stanley company was a spike in their revenue, which increased ten fold to some $750 million, according to CNBC in December 2023.

Now, four women have brought a case against the company, claiming that it misled consumers by failing to disclose the lead contents in the product.

Instagram/@stanley_brand

They allege that Stanley brand owner Pacific Market International marketed the cups as safe and reusable despite knowing that there was lead in the vacuum seals.

The four women filed their case in Los Angeles, and claim that they would not have bought the cups if they had known about the lead content.

The lawsuit said: “PMI kept customers in the dark so as not to interfere with its bonanza of influencer-driven sales, especially sales to young women."

In the case, them four women are seeking both compensatory and punitive damages, as well as a permanent injunction which would require Stanley to disclose the presence of toxins including lead in its products in California.

Meanwhile the viral trend has rolled on, with some consumers even posting videos using 'home kits' to test their cups for lead, though the efficacy of such a test is not confirmed.

UNILAD has reached out to representatives of Stanley for comment.