Man Sues Target, Says Its Hand Sanitizer Isn’t as Powerful as Claimed

Retailer Target is being sued by a man who claims their store-brand hand sanitizer is making false claims about its effectiveness. A Los Angeles man, Mardig Taslakian, has filed a class-action lawsuit against Target and its brand Up&Up because of claims to eliminate 99.99 percent of germs without proof. Taslakian says that the January 17, 2020 FDA warning letter to brand name Purell about there being no scientific data to back up effectiveness claims should also apply to Target’s brand.

Taslakian claims that “by comparing its less expensive in-house private label product” to Purell’s product, people think their hand sanitizer is the same–“and can therefore prevent disease or infection from, for example, Coronavirus and flu,” say documents along with other claims that go beyond the general intended use of a topical alcohol-based hand sanitizer.” Taslakian is seeking punitive damages and an order stopping Target for the claims its bottles made.

Target, thus far has no comment.