Stanley cups: Customers sue over presence of lead in popular tumblers

Two Stanley owners filed a lawsuit in California alleging the cup-maker's parent company was negligent in disclosing the presence of lead in the viral product.

The popular Stanley cups are seemingly everywhere, but that doesn’t mean every customer is thrilled with the product.

Two Stanley tumbler owners have filed a lawsuit in California alleging the cup-maker’s parent company, Pacific Market International, was negligent in disclosing the presence of lead in the viral product.

According to Bloomberg, the proposed class action lawsuit surrounds the company’s vogue Adventure Quencher tumblers, which are insulated, stainless steel cups that feature a removable lid, a bulky handle and reusable straw.

In January, Stanley released a statement that confirmed their products are manufactured using lead, which is highly toxic. However, the company maintained their cups are still safe to use because the small amount of lead is found only in part of the tumbler’s vacuum seal insulation at its base, which is covered by a stainless-steel layer.

Stanley assured its customers there is very little possibility of lead exposure.

“Rest assured that no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer nor the contents of the product,” Stanley wrote in the statement.

Stanley said only in a “rare occurrence” would one of their tumblers become damaged or worn enough to break the seal and expose someone to lead. (In this instance, Stanley said they would honour their lifetime warranty.)

But the lead disclosure came too late for the customers who filed the negligence lawsuit.