United States: Product Liability & Safety

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has proposed sweeping new safety regulations for lithium-ion batteries in micromobility products like e-bikes and e-scooters, citing unreasonable risks of fires and explosions. The proposed rule would mandate compliance with modified UL standards and extend requirements to aftermarket batteries, chargers, and conversion kits. Manufacturers and retailers across the supply chain face significant compliance obligations if the rule is finalized.

The food and beverage industry faces a new wave of litigation modeled after Big Tobacco cases, with plaintiffs alleging that ultra-processed foods cause chronic diseases like diabetes and liver disease. A landmark Pennsylvania ruling dismissed the first major case due to insufficient causation evidence, but coordinated lawsuits across multiple jurisdictions and a government action in California signal that this legal battle is just beginning.

The U.S. Supreme Court's 7-2 decision in Monsanto Co. v. Durnell establishes that EPA-approved pesticide labeling under FIFRA preempts state-law failure-to-warn claims requiring additional cancer warnings. This landmark ruling reinforces federal regulatory authority over product labeling and significantly impacts pending litigation nationwide, while raising critical questions about the balance between federal preemption and state tort remedies for manufacturers operating under agency-approved labeling regim