Earth Rated’s “Plant-Based” Pet Wipes: A Chemical Lie
The Greenwash Economy
Corporations have discovered that your conscience is profitable. As people increasingly seek products that are healthier, better for the environment, and free from industrial chemicals, a lucrative market for “plant-based” goods has exploded. Earth Rated, legal documents show, positioned itself to capture this market in the pet care aisle.
The company slapped a “Plant-Based” label on the front of its pet wipes, a claim designed to be seen and trusted in the 13 seconds an average consumer takes to make a purchase. The lawsuit, filed by plaintiff Marat Martirosyan, argues this was a calculated strategy to gain an “unfair competitive advantage” over companies selling genuinely natural products and to charge you more for a product that was dishonestly advertised.
The Non-Financial Ledger: A Betrayal of Trust
This is about more than a few extra dollars for pet wipes. It’s about a fundamental violation of trust. People buy products labeled “plant-based” because they are trying to protect their loved ones from harsh, synthetic chemicals. Pets are family. When you bring a product into your home to clean your dog’s paws or fur, you are acting on a promise made by the manufacturer on its packaging.
Earth Rated’s promise, according to the legal complaint, was a lie. The feeling of being duped, of unknowingly wiping your pet down with synthetic compounds when you paid extra to avoid exactly that, is a profound betrayal. It exploits the care you have for your animal and turns it into corporate profit. This erodes the public’s ability to make informed choices and fosters a deep, justified cynicism toward the market itself.
Legal Receipts: The Synthetic Ingredients List
The lawsuit is built on a simple premise: the term “plant-based” means something. It means “consisting of or derived from plants.” The filing alleges that Earth Rated’s product fails this basic test. Here are the non-plant-based, synthetic, and artificial ingredients the lawsuit says are in the wipes, directly from the court documents:
- Citric Acid The legal complaint states this is commercially produced via a “multi-step chemical reaction and microbial fermentation process involving the bacteria Aspergillus niger,” which isn’t actually a plant.
- Caprylyl Glycol Described in the filing as being “manufactured synthetically,” meaning it relies less on natural resources like palm or coconut oil.
- Glycerin The lawsuit identifies this ingredient as synthetic, “produced by the hydrogenolysis of carbohydrates,” a chemical reaction that cleaves bonds using hydrogen.
- Propylene Glycol Identified as “a synthetic, water-absorbent, substance which has many uses including being an anti-freeze and being used to make polyester compounds.”
- Sodium Citrate A salt of citric acid, which the filing notes is synthetically produced.
- Tocopheryl Acetate A “synthetic, highly processed form of Vitamin E manufactured using acetic acid.”
“Through falsely, misleadingly, and deceptively labeling the Product, Defendant seeks to capitalize on consumer demand for a truly plant-based product. Yet, Defendant has done so at the expense of unwitting consumers.”
Societal Impact Mapping
Environmental Degradation
The demand for “plant-based” products is driven by people trying to lessen their environmental impact. The lawsuit notes that consumers value these products to “help the environment.” By marketing a product with synthetic ingredients under a “plant-based” banner, Earth Rated co-opts the language of sustainability for profit. This deceptive practice undermines the entire effort, rewarding chemical manufacturing with the dollars people intended to use to support a greener economy.
Public Health and Wellness
While the lawsuit does not allege specific health damages, it explicitly states that consumers purchase plant-based products for “perceived benefits of avoiding diseases, attaining health and wellness.” The deception preys directly on this desire for safety and well-being, selling a synthetic formulation to people who are actively trying to avoid them.
Economic Inequality
This is a direct transfer of wealth. The lawsuit seeks recovery of the “price premium” consumers paid. This premium represents money taken from ordinary people and given to a corporation based on false information. It is a tax on trying to do the right thing for your family and the planet, paid by those who can least afford to be misled.
The Price of a Lie
[AN UNKNOWN PREMIUM]
Paid By Every Consumer Who Trusted The ‘Plant-Based’ Label
What Now?
The legal system will move at its own pace. In the meantime, power remains with the people and their purchasing decisions. Here is the information you need to hold them accountable.
- Corporate Entity 9199-4467 QUÉBEC INC. d/b/a Earth Rated
- Primary Business Address 8500 Decarie Blvd., 7th Floor, Mont-Royal, Québec, H4P 2N2, Canada
- Regulatory Watchlist Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which publishes the “Green Guides” against deceptive environmental marketing. California’s consumer protection agencies are also relevant.
The Resistance
Your money is your voice. Support local businesses that offer genuinely natural and transparently labeled pet products. Share this investigation with other pet owners in your community and online. Organize campaigns demanding that large retailers hold their suppliers accountable for deceptive labeling. True change comes not from waiting for a court verdict, but from building a community that refuses to be lied to.
💡 Explore Corporate Misconduct by Category
Corporations harm people every day — from wage theft to pollution. Learn more by exploring key areas of injustice.
- 💀 Product Safety Violations — When companies risk lives for profit.
- 🌿 Environmental Violations — Pollution, ecological collapse, and unchecked greed.
- 💼 Labor Exploitation — Wage theft, worker abuse, and unsafe conditions.
- 🛡️ Data Breaches & Privacy Abuses — Misuse and mishandling of personal information.
- 💵 Financial Fraud & Corruption — Lies, scams, and executive impunity.
