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ARTICLE · 01 JULY 2026

Tariff Consumer Class Actions: What Businesses Need To Know

Holland & Knight
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Following the Supreme Court's invalidation of IEEPA tariffs, over 80 consumer class action lawsuits have emerged against businesses across multiple industries. Companies face allegations of double recovery for passing tariff costs to consumers while seeking government refunds, raising complex questions about liability, available defenses, and strategic considerations for businesses navigating this evolving litigation landscape.

United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Ashley Akers
Ashley Akers
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Highlights

  • Following the U.S. Supreme Court's February 2026 decision in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump that invalidated tariffs imposed through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a wave of consumer class action litigation has emerged.
  • More than 80 putative class actions have been filed to date against businesses from a wide range of industries, with plaintiffs alleging that companies passed tariff costs to consumers and seeking refunds from the federal government.
  • The process is still in its early stages, and no court has ruled on the core legal theories, but defendants have raised a number of significant threshold and merits defenses, as detailed in this Holland & Knight alert.

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