Allegations Only · Complaint Stage
This page describes a class action complaint. The statements below are unproven allegations. Target Corporation has not been found liable, no class has been certified, and there is nothing to claim at this time. This page is informational and is not legal advice.
What Is This About?
A proposed consumer class action accuses Target of misleading shoppers about how much ashwagandha is in each of its store-brand Up&Up ashwagandha gummies. The complaint, captioned Williams et al. v. Target Corporation (No. 3:26-cv-02534-H-JAC), was filed April 21, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, before District Judge Marilyn L. Huff. Named plaintiffs Janice Williams and Michael Smith bring the case on behalf of a proposed class of purchasers.According to the complaint, the front of the package prominently advertises a 300 mg dose of ashwagandha in a way that allegedly leads consumers to believe a single gummy delivers that amount. The plaintiffs allege that the Supplement Facts panel instead lists a serving size of two gummies, so a shopper must take two gummies to reach the advertised 300 mg. As a result, the complaint alleges, consumers receive only half of the per-gummy dose they believe they are getting while paying the full purchase price. The allegations have not been proven, and the case remains at an early stage.
The Core Allegation: Front Label vs. Serving Size
The dispute turns on the gap the plaintiffs allege exists between the front-of-package marketing and the Supplement Facts panel on the back. Ashwagandha is an herbal supplement marketed for stress and sleep support, and dosage is one of the main things a shopper compares between competing products. The complaint alleges that by featuring “300 mg” prominently on the front, Target creates the impression that each individual gummy contains that amount, when the labeled serving size is two gummies. On that reading, a 60-count bottle advertised around a 300 mg figure would deliver only 30 servings rather than 60, and each gummy would contain roughly 150 mg.Plaintiffs frame this as a price-and-value injury: they allege they paid a premium for what they understood to be a higher single-gummy dose and would not have paid as much, or would not have bought the product, had the labeling been clearer. Target has not responded to the substance of the allegations in this article, and nothing here should be read as a finding that the labeling is in fact misleading.
A Recurring Theme in Gummy-Supplement Suits
Serving-size and potency disputes have become a recurring theme in supplement litigation, where the same “per serving” figure can mean one gummy or several depending on the panel. Similar challenges have targeted other gummy vitamins and herbal products over how prominently a dose is advertised relative to the labeled serving size. Those other matters involve different companies, products, and evidence and are mentioned only as context for why supplement labeling is drawing scrutiny — each case rises or falls on its own facts. For background on how supplement dosage and labeling claims are litigated, see our coverage of the magnesium supplements settlement and the Nutricost magnesium glycinate settlement.Who Could Be Affected?
The complaint proposes two groups: a nationwide class of everyone in the United States who bought the Product in their home state for personal or household use, and a California subclass of California purchasers. The named plaintiffs say they bought the gummies in California — one in Encinitas in early 2025 and one in Bakersfield in mid-2025. No class has been certified, and the court has not set any eligibility criteria or deadlines for consumers. Until a class is certified — which may never happen — there is no group to “join” and nothing for purchasers to do. Consumers who bought the product may want to keep their receipt or note the purchase in case a claims process is established later, but no documentation is required of anyone at this stage because no claim exists.What the Lawsuit Claims
The complaint brings eight causes of action under California law and common law: violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law (UCL), False Advertising Law (FAL), and Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA); breach of express and implied warranties; negligent misrepresentation; intentional misrepresentation/fraud; and quasi-contract/unjust enrichment. The plaintiffs invoke federal jurisdiction under the Class Action Fairness Act, alleging more than $5 million is at stake across the proposed class. For relief, they ask the court to certify the class and order Target to stop the allegedly misleading marketing, run a corrective advertising campaign, and pay restitution, disgorgement, and punitive damages, plus attorneys’ fees. These are allegations and requests for relief, not rulings; the court has decided none of them.What Happens Next?
The case is at the complaint stage. The court granted a joint request to extend Target’s deadline to respond to the complaint to June 24, 2026, so the company’s answer or motion is the next docket milestone. Target has the opportunity to respond and contest the allegations, including by moving to dismiss, and a court would have to certify a class before the case could proceed on behalf of consumers. The plaintiffs are seeking, among other things, a jury trial and an order requiring Target to stop the allegedly misleading marketing and to carry out corrective advertising. Many such cases are dismissed or resolved without any payment to purchasers. There is no settlement and no claim form. We will update this page as the public docket develops.Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Target ashwagandha gummies class action lawsuit?
Yes. A proposed class action, Williams et al. v. Target Corporation (No. 3:26-cv-02534-H-JAC), was filed April 21, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. It alleges Target’s Up&Up ashwagandha gummies advertise a 300 mg dose that actually requires two gummies. The allegations are unproven, no class has been certified, and there is nothing to claim at this time.
What does the Target ashwagandha lawsuit allege?
The complaint alleges the front label leads consumers to believe a single Up&Up ashwagandha gummy contains the prominently advertised 300 mg of ashwagandha, when the Supplement Facts panel sets the serving size at two gummies. Plaintiffs say buyers therefore receive half the perceived dose per gummy while paying full price. These are allegations, not findings; Target has not been found liable.
Who filed the Target ashwagandha gummies lawsuit?
The proposed class action was filed by named plaintiffs Janice Williams and Michael Smith against Target Corporation in the Southern District of California. They seek to represent a class of consumers who purchased the Up&Up ashwagandha gummies.
Can I file a claim or join the Target ashwagandha case?
No. The case is at the complaint stage. Because no settlement and no certified class exist, there is no claim form and nothing to file. If the case is certified or settled, eligibility and any claim process would be set by the court at that stage.
Sources
- Justia Dockets — Williams et al. v. Target Corporation, No. 3:26-cv-02534-H-JAC (S.D. Cal., filed Apr. 21, 2026), dockets.justia.com
- TruthInAdvertising.org — Up&Up Ashwagandha Gummies class-action summary and complaint, truthinadvertising.org
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