A new lawsuit is accusing Ulta stores of reselling products that were returned as new. It also claims the products might have contained "dirt, disease-causing pathogens and other filthy substances" because they were previously used.
Ulta is a nationwide beauty store and they are coming under fire for selling returned products as new. A class action suit filed in Cook County, Illinois alleges the store would repackage products customers had returned so they looked new and then place them back on the shelves for sale. Customers who then bought these products would have no idea they had previously been used.
A new lawsuit alleges that Ulta Beauty was putting used, returned makeup back on store shelves and reselling the products as new. pic.twitter.com/3prZB3Nfry
— AJ+ (@ajplus) February 13, 2018
If that isn't bad enough, it gets worse for the beauty chain. The lawsuit claims employees were only allowed a certain quota of returned items that could be thrown away. Once the quota was met, all products had to be repackaged to sell again. Items among those that were almost always put back on shelves include shampoo, foundation, and mascara. Those items were chosen because it is difficult to tell by looking at them if they had been previously used.
As of now, the lawsuit is only for Ulta stores in Illinois. The company has 1,058 stores total throughout the United States. However, if the lawsuit in Illinois rules against the store, the company could face more lawsuits in other states. A spokesperson for Ulta has denied all allegations.
"Our policy does not allow the resale of used products. We are aware of the lawsuit and intend to vigorously defend against the allegations. The health and safety of Ulta Beauty guests is a top priority and we strive to consistently deliver an optimal experience every time they shop with us," the beauty chain said in an official statement to the press.
So I was a former employee at ULTA and whenever a customer would return a product, we were told by managers to repackage / reseal the item and put it back on the shelf.
— fatinamxo (@fatinamxo) January 10, 2018
Meghan DeVries, a Chicago-area resident and customer of Ulta, was first to file a lawsuit against the brand. However, last month reports about the company reselling used products surfaced from customers on social media. Twitter exploded with accusations against Ulta and warnings to consumers to stay away from the beauty chain.
Cosmetics and beauty chain Ulta is facing a serious lawsuit accusing the company of reselling used or returned products as new. What do you think about the lawsuit? Have you ever had an experience where an item you bought at Ulta looked used?
