A new class action lawsuit alleges Dove body wash doesn't contain real collagen

New Yorker Lillian Fitzgerald filed a class action lawsuit against Unilever United States Inc. on July 31, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York.

The complaint alleges Dove vitality renewal firming body wash promotes a 4% restoring serum with collagen even though its ingredient list identifies only vegetable collagen, which the suit calls a plant-derived imitation rather than genuine collagen.

Fitzgerald's alleged purchase

Fitzgerald says she bought the body wash from Walmart’s website around July 2025 while in Rensselaer, New York. She claims the collagen representations led her to choose the product over alternatives that did not make the same claim.

Fitzgerald says she understood the label as a promise that the body wash contained animal protein-based collagen, the lawsuit says. Fitzgerald alleges she paid a premium and would not have bought the product on the same terms had Unilever disclosed what the complaint describes as a plant-derived substitute.

Vegetable collagen not genuine, lawsuit claims

The front label of the body wash advertises it is a “4% restoring serum with collagen.” Unilever’s online marketing also lists collagen as an ingredient, the complaint claims.

The class action alleges the ingredients on the back of the body wash list vegetable collagen, which it describes as a plant-derived ingredient rather than genuine collagen. The lawsuit claims collagen occurs only in humans and animals and not plants.

The proposed class action claims Unilever knew the product contained no genuine collagen because the company formulated the body wash, selected its ingredients and approved its packaging.

Fitzgerald's attorneys reportedly sent Unilever a written notice and demand for corrective action on Aug. 6, 2025. The company did not cure the alleged problem or update the label by the time Fitzgerald filed the lawsuit, the complaint claims.

The legal claims

The complaint brings 35 claims against Unilever:

  • State consumer protection laws: 33 claims under laws in 31 states and Washington, D.C., alleging the label and online marketing misled buyers about the product’s ingredients
  • Express warranty: Claiming the collagen statement formed a specific promise to New York buyers that the product allegedly failed to meet
  • Unjust enrichment: Seeking the return of money Unilever allegedly received from sales tied to the collagen representation

What the lawsuit means for Dove body wash buyers

The proposed class covers people who bought Dove vitality renewal firming body wash for personal or household use in 31 states and Washington, D.C., during the applicable legal time limits. Fitzgerald seeks class certification, damages, restitution, interest and legal costs.

The court has not certified any class. There is no settlement, claims process or payout.