Buffalo Next: Wegmans sued for sunscreen

Wegmans is facing a class action lawsuit alleging that the “reef conscious” label on its sunscreen is “false and misleading” because it contains ingredients harmful to coral reefs.

“Unfortunately, coral reefs have been imperiled by various human-caused threats and have declined by approximately half since 1950,” the complaint states. “In recent years, researchers have determined that chemicals in sunscreen are a significant factor in their decline.”

And although it advertises itself as being safe for reefs, the suit says, the sunscreen actually contains several ingredients that are harmful to them.

Wegmans said it was reviewing the lawsuit and does not comment on pending litigation.

The fine print on the bottle of Wegmans Brand Sport Broad Spectrum sunscreen lotion related to the “reef conscious” claim indicates that the sunscreen complies with Hawaii state law intended to protect coral reefs.

But the lawsuit claims Hawaiian law doesn’t go far enough to protect the reefs. The product contains several active and inactive ingredients that have been shown to be harmful to coral reefs, the complaint states, including avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene.

He cites a reef-safe sunscreen buying guide from the snorkeling website Snorkel Around The World that called the ingredients “dangerous” and said they are not compatible with reef awareness .

The lawsuit was filed earlier this month by Irondequoit resident Joelle Thomas in state Supreme Court in Monroe County. The law firm that filed the suit, Sheehan & Associates in Great Neck, seeks to represent anyone who purchased the sunscreen in New York “with the expectation that they would be ‘reef conscious’ and it would not cause any harm to reefs and/or the environment,” the suit states.

“The defendant’s false and misleading statements and omissions…that it would not cause harm to fragile and critical reef ecosystems and/or would not cause environmental damage, are material in that they are likely to influence the consumers’ purchasing decisions,” the suit states. “This is because consumers prefer to purchase products made with ingredients that do not have harmful effects on ecosystems like reefs and/or the environment, rather than seeing these ingredients replaced by others which cause such harmful effects.”

Calling itself “reef conscious” allowed Wegmans to price the sunscreen higher — $4.99 for a 5.5-ounce bottle — the suit says, “higher than similar products , represented in a non-misleading manner, and higher than it would be sold for in the absence of the misleading representations and omissions.

The suit wants the plaintiffs to be compensated for the overpayment and also seeks payment of legal fees.

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NY Lexor, a designer sunglasses retailer, has opened its doors at Fashion Outlets in Niagara Falls, USA. The store is located between Express Jewelers and Timex, across from Pandora.

The online sunglasses store carries designers such as Fendi, Versace and Chanel.

Mexican restaurant Señor Leon has started construction on a 5,500-square-foot space at the Walden Galleria.

It will be similar to the company’s Batavia location, which specializes in southern Mexican cuisine, such as chicken mole poblano, enchiladas, cochinita pibil, chile rellenos and ceviche. The restaurant will open in the mall’s former World of Beer in August.

Señor Leon Mexican Restaurant also plans to open a location in the former Original Honey’s at 6560 Niagara Falls Blvd., in Niagara Falls, in June.

Kohl’s will open Babies “R” Us store sections in approximately 200 locations starting in August, selling baby items, furniture and other baby products.

The Wisconsin-based retail chain has partnered with WHP Global, owner of the Babies “R” Us brand, to open the stores, which will range from 750 to 2,500 square feet.

In Western New York, stores in North Amherst and Orchard Park will receive Babies “R” Us sections this year, although Kohl’s said it is not sure when the store-within-a-store concepts will will be completed locally.

Customers will earn Kohl’s Rewards on their purchases at Babies “R” Us and can also use Kohl’s Cash for them.

WHP Global is following the same game plan it successfully used with Toys “R” Us, when it opened 452 Toys “R” Us-branded store-within-store concepts in Macy’s stores in 2022. WHP Global acquired a majority stake in the Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us brands after the brands declared bankruptcy and were liquidated in 2018. Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us closed all of their stores in the United States the same year. The company was heavily in debt, and as it worked to cut costs, store locations suffered.

WHP is a brand acquisition and management company based in New York.

Unemployment rate in Buffalo Niagara remains relatively low.

Evans Bank is looking for customers in the legal cannabis sector.

The Anciennes Editions bookstore project encounter an obstacle.

A healthcare project on the East Side is move forward.

Downtown revitalization projects in Lancaster, Dunkirk and Wellsville receive state funding.

A Buffalo-based employee benefits company made an acquisition.

THE reduction in the pool of available workers affects job growth in the Buffalo Niagara region.

Niacet will invest 50 million dollars at its Niagara Falls plant.

Candidates from Niagara and Chautauqua counties have sued to invalidate more than 450 conditional adult-use retail dispensary licenses.

Bliss Construction proposed a new mixed-use project near Main-Transit.

Citing “economic” reasons, Tesla laid off 27 more employees at the South Buffalo plant.

D’Youville suspended construction of his new medical school building amid funding problems.

Erie County is seeking a developer for a light industrial project at Renaissance Commerce Park in Lackawanna.

Five reads from Buffalo Next:

1. Michael Montante looks back on four years as CEO of Uniland.

2. A federal agency could halt construction of a wastewater pipeline in STAMP site in Genesee County. How does this affect two companies preparing to open facilities there?

3. After years of relative inactivity, the most rural parts of northern Amherst are experiencing a surge of new development projects.

4. Efforts to get more women and minority contractors working on the Buffalo Bills stadium project could pay dividends on other major construction work to come.

5. The the state’s oldest investment club is in Lockport.

The Buffalo Next team gives you insight into the region’s economic revitalization. Email tips to [email protected] or contact Buffalo Next editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.

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