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Estée Lauder Sues Walmart Over Alleged Counterfeit Beauty Sales on Its Marketplace

The filing tests how much responsibility online marketplaces bear for third‑party sales.

Overview

  • Estée Lauder filed a trademark and counterfeiting lawsuit in federal court in California after identifying alleged fakes offered on Walmart.com.
  • The complaint targets listings tied to Estée Lauder-owned brands including Le Labo, Tom Ford, Clinique, La Mer, Aveda and Estée Lauder.
  • The company says it purchased and tested items such as fragrances, skin creams and an Aveda hairbrush and concluded they were not authentic.
  • The suit alleges Walmart facilitated and promoted the third‑party listings, used Estée Lauder trademarks in search tools, profited from the sales and could mislead shoppers about who the seller was.
  • Estée Lauder seeks damages, an injunction and supplier records, and Walmart said it has zero tolerance for counterfeits and will respond in court.