Airborne settled an FTC class action for $30 million in 2008. Courts ruled the company had NO clinical evidence that its product prevents colds or provides immune support — the sole reason people buy it. Now owned by Haleon (GlaxoSmithKline spinoff).
PARENT VIOLATIONS · $1900.0M IN FINES
lawsuit — Multi-state lawsuit against Reckitt Benckiser/Mead Johnson: premature infant NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis) linked to Enfamil cow's milk-based formula; Illinois jury awarded $500M verdict; science linking bovine formula to NEC in preemies known to Mead Johnson; failure to warn hospitals and parents · $500.0M (2023)
EU regulatory action — WHO Code violation investigation: Reckitt/Mead Johnson marketing of Enfamil in Southeast Asia and Africa violated International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes; promotional materials to healthcare workers, free samples to hospitals, and misleading labels; IBFAN (International Baby Food Action Network) documented violations across 12 countries (2022)
FTC action — FTC action against Reckitt Benckiser/Mead Johnson: misleading 'brain-building' and cognitive development claims on Enfamil infant formula; DHA/ARA content claims implied clinical developmental benefits not supported by scientific consensus; prohibited from unsubstantiated cognitive development claims (2021)
EU regulatory action — EU RASFF notification: Dettol antiseptic liquid (Reckitt) — labeling claims exceed permitted cosmetic/biocide boundaries under EU Regulation 528/2012; product marketed with disease prevention claims not permitted under EU biocide regulations; UK/EU notified (2021)
FDA warning letter — Warning letter to Reckitt Benckiser: misleading disease treatment claims on Lysol products marketed as killing COVID-19; claims not authorized by FDA; advertising implied Lysol prevents SARS-CoV-2 transmission before efficacy data was available (2020)
2 FDA Recall(s) on record