Philadelphia has officially filed a lawsuit against Bimbo Bakeries, the company behind Thomas’, Arnold, and Sara Lee bread, as well as SC Johnson, parent company of Ziploc. The city alleges that these companies have misled consumers by implying their plastic bags are recyclable, even though the products are rarely recycled in practice.

Story Highlights:

• Philadelphia sues Bimbo Bakeries and SC Johnson over misleading recycling claims.

• Bread bags and Ziploc bags are not recyclable in the city’s system.

• Chasing arrows and in-store drop-off symbols allegedly mislead consumers.

• Lawsuit seeks fines under Philadelphia’s new consumer protection law.

• City aims to reduce plastic waste and discourage use of non-recyclable plastic film.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas and marks the first case under the city’s new consumer protection ordinance signed into law by Mayor Cherelle Parker last year.

According to the complaint, both Bimbo Bakeries and SC Johnson prominently display the familiar chasing arrows recycling symbol on their bread and Ziploc bags. The lawsuit calls these symbols “misleading at best,” arguing that the packaging deceives consumers who are trying to make environmentally responsible choices.

“People are trying to do the right thing,” said Philadelphia City Solicitor Renee Garcia. “They’re trying to make their community safer, cleaner and greener … but people are being deceived. People are being deceived on how to get rid of these products.”

Film plastics—including flexible bread bags, grocery bags, and Ziploc bags—cannot be recycled through the city’s standard recycling system. Instead, they often end up littering city streets, clogging landfills, or being burned in incinerators.

William Shuey, a senior attorney in the city’s Law Department, explained, “It’s very unlikely to be able to be bailed and actually recycled, in the sense of going into another consumer product.”

The lawsuit further claims that the recycling symbols and instructions directing consumers to in-store drop-off sites are misleading. In many cases, these drop-off locations still send the plastic to landfills rather than recycling facilities.

“Companies like SC Johnson and Bimbo are deliberately tricking consumers into thinking that they can buy Ziploc’s or Bimbo’s plastic bags without contributing to plastic waste or other environmental harms because those products can, at least in theory, be recycled,” the complaint states.

The legal action points out that while plastic bags are technically recyclable, there is “no end market” for recycled plastic bags. Even Bimbo Bakeries acknowledges on its website that its plastic packaging is non-recyclable.

Under Philadelphia’s consumer protection law, if the lawsuit succeeds, fines could be assessed per item sold within the city. “In the end, we want these companies to stop using this plastic film,” Garcia said.

Bimbo Bakeries responded, saying the company is “committed to zero waste across our operations, including consumer packaging, and to being a strong partner in every community we serve, especially our hometown of Philadelphia.” The company added that it had not yet been served with a copy of the complaint but would review it upon receipt. SC Johnson did not respond to a request for comment.

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