Robert Besser
08 Mar 2025

NEW YORK CITY, New York: The company that makes Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil is facing a lawsuit for allegedly misleading consumers who prefer to "buy American."

A U.S. judge ruled that the lawsuit could proceed, allowing consumers to argue that Reynolds Consumer Products violated New York's consumer protection laws by falsely labeling its foil as "Made in USA."

The lawsuit claims that most of the bauxite, the raw material used in Reynolds Wrap, comes from outside the U.S. and is processed into aluminum overseas.

The plaintiff, Anaya Washington from New York, said she bought Reynolds Wrap at Target and other stores, believing it was an American-made product. She said she wouldn't have bought it if she had known the truth.

Reynolds tried to get the case dismissed, arguing that Washington did not prove she suffered harm. The company also called the lawsuit a "lawyer-driven class action" aimed at profiting from a truthful label. However, the judge ruled that Washington had a valid claim because she may have paid more due to the misleading label. The lawsuit seeks at least $5 million in damages.

Many similar lawsuits accuse companies of using unclear labels to convince shoppers to pay more, sometimes appealing to their patriotism. In 2021, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission introduced a rule to prevent misleading "Made in USA" claims.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump is urging businesses to manufacture more products in the U.S.