Febreze Class Action: Plug-In Air Fresheners Don't Meet Claims

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit claims P&G's Febreze Plug In Air Fresheners don't provide the advertised 50 days of fragrance, misleading consumers.

Consumers Affected: Consumers who purchased Febreze Plug In Air Fresheners.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is facing a class action lawsuit over its Febreze Plug-In Air Fresheners, with claims that the product doesn’t meet advertised expectations. 

The suit alleges that P&G promoted its Febreze Plug-Ins as offering “first day freshness” for 50 days per refill. However, consumers report that the fragrance does not last the full duration, sometimes running out well before the advertised timeframe.

Febreze Plug-Ins Don't Last 50 Days, Lawsuit Claims

According to the complaint, P&G prominently advertises on product packaging and in commercials that each Plug-In delivers 50 days of continuous scent, and in cases where multiple refills are sold in one package, the promise multiplies. 

For instance, a two-pack claims “100 days of freshness,” and a three-pack claims “150 days.” Consumers, trusting this representation, expect that the Febreze Plug-In will provide a lasting fragrance for the full advertised duration.

Plaintiff Marianne Pinto purchased a Febreze Plug-In starter kit with one refill from a Target in Westbury, New York, in March 2024. Pinto says she relied on the “50-day” freshness claim on the packaging, assuming it would last nearly two months. But after 37 days, the low-level indicator light on her air freshener lit up, signaling that the refill was empty. 

Consumer Reports Shorter Scent Duration

To prepare for future replacements, Pinto also bought a two-pack of refills for $9.99 and a three-pack for $12.99, which were marketed with combined durations of 100 and 150 days, respectively. 

Despite P&G’s 50-day-per-refill guarantee, Pinto’s next refills ran out in 46, 44, and 28 days—each refill falling short of the promised longevity. In each case, she also noticed that the fragrance started to fade noticeably before the low-level indicator appeared, diminishing the “first day freshness” experience well before the refill needed replacement.

Pinto’s experiences with the Febreze Plug-In refills added up to a total of 155 days of scent, about 23% fewer days than the 200 days she expected based on P&G’s advertising. This pattern of shorter-than-expected fragrance duration led Pinto to question the product’s reliability and whether it could deliver on its claims.

P&G Accused of Ignoring Febreze Complaints

The complaint also alleges that P&G has known about these issues for years, based on consumer feedback it has received since at least 2019. In response to consumer complaints, P&G has often stated that the refills should indeed last 50 days, while in some cases attributing shorter durations to external factors like large room size or placement near air vents. The complaint notes that such potential factors are not mentioned in P&G’s advertisements or on product packaging, where it promises “freshness without fading.”

P&G’s replies to consumer feedback reportedly suggest that it monitors customer reviews and is aware of common complaints about product performance. Despite these issues, P&G allegedly continued to market the Febreze Plug-In air fresheners with “50-day” claims, which the complaint contends is misleading to consumers.

Other P&G Legal Challenges and Recalls

Procter & Gamble (P&G) has faced multiple legal challenges recently. In August, P&G was hit with a class action lawsuit alleging misleading advertising for its Gain laundry detergent. The lawsuit claimed P&G’s bold "50% More" label on Gain Flings! and Gain Aroma Boost packaging deceived consumers into thinking they received 50% more detergent, when in reality, this increase refers only to fragrance, not cleaning power.

Earlier in June, P&G recalled over eight million Tide detergent pods due to packaging defects that could split open, posing ingestion and injury risks to children and vulnerable individuals. These issues put added pressure on P&G’s consumer trust and safety commitments across its product lines.

In the Febreze Plug-In Air Fresheners class action lawsuit, Pinot aims to represent a nationwide class of consumers who purchased the Febreze Plug-In Air Fresheners that contained representations on the packaging that each oil refill air freshener would last 50 days, but lasted significantly less than 50 days. She is suing for actual damages, equitable relief, including restitution, injunctive relief, and disgorgement of profits, and all other relief available.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Marianne Pinto v. The Procter & Gamble Company
• Case Number: 1:24-cv-07700
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Joseph LoPiccolo, John. N. Poulos, and Anthony Almeida (Poulos LoPiccolo PC)

Have you used Febreze Plug In Air Fresheners? Share your experience with the product's longevity in the comments below.