Estée Lauder Gains Approval to Broaden Counterfeit Lawsuit Against Walmart
A significant escalation is taking place in a major legal dispute within the beauty industry. The Estée Lauder Companies has received approval from a US federal court to not only proceed with, but also expand, its trademark infringement lawsuit against retail behemoth Walmart. The lawsuit pertains to allegedly counterfeit beauty and fragrance products sold by third-party vendors on Walmart.com. This development, reported on September 17, 2026, marks a crucial turning point in one of the year’s most high-profile beauty legal disputes.
Estée Lauder initially filed a lawsuit against Walmart in a California federal court. The company alleged that Walmart’s marketplace model enabled the sale of counterfeit products bearing the trademarks of renowned brands such as La Mer, Le Labo, Clinique, Tom Ford, Aveda, and Estée Lauder itself. To verify their authenticity, the company purchased, inspected, and tested these products. Among the identified counterfeits were an imitation of the popular Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum and a knockoff of the Tom Ford Bitter Peach fragrance, sold under the name “Intense Peach.”
Estée Lauder claims that Walmart not only hosted these infringing listings but also actively promoted them using its own SEO tools, thereby exacerbating consumer confusion. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified monetary damages, potentially up to triple the amount if the infringement is proven to be intentional. They are also seeking a court order to halt all sales and destroy any remaining inventory. Walmart has maintained that it has “zero tolerance for counterfeit products” and will respond appropriately in court.
Source: Global Cosmetics News – Estée Lauder Cleared to Proceed with Walmart Lawsuit (Sep 17, 2026)