Driscoll's US lawsuit sparks caution among Chinese consumers

America's most popular berry brand is facing a purported lawsuit alleging it sold strawberries containing cancer-linked "forever chemicals" without warning consumers.

Driscoll's blueberries are seen on the shelf in a local supermarket in Shenzhen in this file photo. File photos

The lawsuit, filed on June 18 in Santa Cruz County Superior Court, California, by plaintiff Christina Washington and five other individuals, claims that Driscoll's failed to disclose that its strawberries contained detectable levels of PFAS-related compounds. Driscoll's has rejected the lawsuit as meritless.

PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," are a class of persistent synthetic compounds linked to certain cancers, weakened immunity, fertility and developmental problems, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, and liver and kidney damage.

The U.S. lawsuit concerns non-organic strawberries grown in that country.

The news was picked up by Chinese consumers yesterday, with the hashtag #Driscoll's cancer-linked trending on Chinese social media.

A check with Shenzhen’s online retailers found that currently, Hema (Freshippo) shows Driscoll's products as being restocked, and Yonghui Superstores also labels the brand's berries as "restocking." However, Walmart has Driscoll's strawberry products available, while JD Seven Fresh and Meituan's Xiaoxiang Supermarket both have Driscoll's blueberry products in stock.

Driscoll's China released an official notice yesterday assuring consumers that the berries sold domestically are safe, stating that "Yunnan is the main production region for the Chinese market."

An official statement from Driscoll's China explains the majority of the berries sold in China are sourced from Yunnan, and all its products agree with Chinese standards for food safety.

"All products sold domestically are qualified. We strictly comply with relevant Chinese laws and regulations throughout the cultivation and sales of berries, and our products meet all requirements," the statement read.

In response to an inquiry, a customer service representative from the brand’s online flagship store displayed test reports for Yunnan strawberries and Peruvian blueberries sampled on June 15 and June 22, respectively. The reports showed that the tested items complied with the national standard GB 2762-2022, with no harmful contaminants detected among 361 pesticide residues.

According to Tianyancha, Driscoll's China operating entity is Driscoll's Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., which was established in January 2016. The company has a registered capital of US$12 million, with Jae Moon Chun as its legal representative. It is wholly owned by Driscoll's Hong Kong Holdings Limited, and its registered business scope covers online and offline food sales. Official records indicate that the brand has passed multiple random food safety inspections in China in 2021 and 2025.

Driscoll's traces its roots to a small California farm founded in 1904. More than a century later, it has become the world's largest berry supplier, relying on a network of contracted farmers to grow its proprietary berry varieties.