AZ sues Hefty owner over bags' marketing
Claims products labeled as recyclable but aren't
By: Jose R. Gonzalez
Arizona Republic
USA Today Network
PHOENIX - The Arizona Attorney General's Office has filed a lawsuit against the parent company of Hefty over claims its plastic bags were misrepresented as easy to recycle when they actually were not.
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Filed August 20, [2025] the suit argues Reynolds Consumer Products, which owns Hefty, misled Arizona consumers about a line of products being recyclable or for sue in collecting recyclables despite municipal recycling facilities in the state being generally unable to actually recycle those items.
..... The attorneys general of Connecticut and Minnesota previously sued Reynolds on similar grounds.
..... The latest suit seeks up to $10,000 in civil penalties for each potential violation of state law that prohibits deceptive practices, unfair acts or misrepresentation and that date back to 2019.
..... Invoking the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act, the suit also request a permanent injunction to keep the company from continuing the supposed practices.
..... "Corporate greed was prioritized over being honest to consumers," said Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes in an August 27 [2025] statement announcing the lawsuit.
..... The complaint refereed "green-washing," which Merriam Webster's Dictionary defines as "the act or practice of making product, policy, activity, etc. appear to be more environmentally friendly than it really is."
..... "Reynolds lied on the packaging, misled Arizonans, and profited off of well-meaning consumers who simply wanted to protect our state by recycling. companies who "green-wash" will be held accountable by my office," Mayes said.
..... The attorney general's suit spotlights Hefty's "Blue," "Clear" and "Recycling" bags, which are the complaint said were packaged with labels and presented Online with imagery "deceptively" adverting the products as recyclable or for curbside bagging of recyclables. these bagging products, the suit argues, are not recyclable because they are soft plastic and make their contents recyclable.